Teams that look to be on their way to the postseason tend to keep their foot on the gas all the way until the finish line, as letting up could allow a team in the chasing pack to make things a little tenser than they need to be. It’s impossible to really know how a team will fare once they reach the postseason, but seeing how they play against other good teams in the regular season sometimes gives us a little hint to what we might expect. It’s always fun to see a pair of hot teams go head to head, but even more so when it’s an interleague series since those don’t come around that often.
We have a very good one on tap this weekend, with the AL West-leading Houston Astros hitting the road to face a St. Louis Cardinals team that has suddenly come to life in the NL Central. Both of these teams are very much on pace to be playoff-bound, so this should be a fun one to watch. The Astros come into this one favored by 1 ½ with the run total set at 8 ½.
Astros vs Cardinals MLB Week 17 Odds & Game Preview
- When: Friday, July 26 at 8:15 PM EST
- Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis
- Starting Pitchers: Urquidy vs. Flaherty
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- Radio: 92.9 ESPN
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- MLB wEEK 17 Odds: Houston Astros -110 (Total 8.5)
Cubs vs Brewers MLB Lines, Game Info & Prediction
Why bet on the Houston Astros?
As we saw the first half of the season come to a close, we saw the Astros look like a team starting to run out of gas a little. Their double-digit lead at the top of the NL West had been cut in half, but the rest seems to have done Houston a power of good, as they are once again red-hot. They come into this one having won 7 of their last 10 games, while once again opening up a big lead at the top, which now sits at a very healthy looking 8 games.
Overall, Houston is sitting at 66-38 SU, and unless they have a total meltdown over the final 50 games, they will be in the postseason again. On the road, the Astros are 28-23 SU and 20-23 ATS as a road favorite. The Astros will have Jose Urquidy (1-0 5.54 ERA) on the mound as the starter.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.22
- Hits: 9.27
- Walks: 3.78
- Strike Outs: 7.12
- Runs: 4.09
- Hits: 7.41
- Walks: 2.82
- Strike Outs: 10.16
Why bet on the St. Louis Cardinals?
Throughout the course of the season, the Cardinals have been unable to put together the sort of positive run that could propel them to the top of a very average NL Central Division. They are another team that appears to have benefited from a few days off at the All-Star Break, though, as they have come back on fire and are now the winners of 5 straight games.
That has taken them to 55-47 and a tie for first with the Cubs in the division. They are now 8-2 in their last 10 games and have seen their home record improve to 28-20. The Cardinals are at 6-7 in interleague play, which is the same record as the Astros. They will have Jack Flaherty (4-6, 4.24 ERA) on the mound on Friday night.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 4.61
- Hits: 8.22
- Walks: 3.32
- Strike Outs: 8.52
- Runs: 4.38
- Hits: 8.13
- Walks: 3.36
- Strike Outs: 8.59
Dodgers vs Nationals MLB Lines & Pick for Friday Night
Astros vs Cardinals MLB Betting Trends
- Astros are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games against an opponent in the National League
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston’s last 7 games on the road
- Cardinals are 8-1 SU in their last 9 games this season
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of St. Louis’ last 7 games at home
- Cardinals are 271-177 against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997
- Astros are 141-82 against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Astros vs Cardinals
This has all the making of a great series between a pair of teams playing some great ball right now. I think it will be the Astros who come out and start this series with a win.
Score: Houston Astros 6 – St. Louis Cardinals 3
