Prior to the start of every baseball season, we all take time to predict who will win each division and which team will ultimately end up winning the World Series. Those predictions, at least for most of us, end up being a little off, which leaves us scrambling to come up with new predictions. At this late stage of the season, though, we are beginning to get a really clear idea of who will be in the postseason. There are a few teams who have taken control of their respective divisions, while a few more have suddenly found a groove and are making a late run.
The moves made at the trade deadline tomorrow might just cement the whole thing. As it stands right now, the Houston Astros look like one of the teams destined to be playing playoff baseball, while the Cleveland Guardians are also making a very solid case for themselves. These two teams will hook up in a huge series starting on Tuesday night, with the Astros in as a 1 ½ run favorite for this one. The run total has been set at 8 ½ for the Tuesday night tilt.
Astros vs Indians MLB Odds, Game Info & Prediction
- When: Tuesday, July 30 at 7:10 PM EST
- Where: Progressive Field, Cleveland
- Starting Pitchers: Verlander vs. Bieber
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- MLB Odds: Houston Astros -140 (Total 9)
How to Bet Rays vs Red Sox MLB Spread & Expert Prediction
Why bet on the Houston Astros?
Right from the off, it looked as though the Houston Astros were going to make the AL West title race look like a walk in the park. While the Oakland A’s got hot and made things interesting for a minute, the Astros have always found a way to kick it up another notch after going through a bit of a mediocre spell. As it stands right now, the Astros possess a 68-39 record, which has them up by 8 games on the Oakland A’s in second.
They are back on another hot run of form, going 8-2 in their last 10 games, including a series win over the Cardinals to close out their weekend. The Astros have been great at home, but their 30-24 road record isn’t too shabby either, although they are just 22-24 ATS as a road favorite. Houston will have Justin Verlander (13-4, 2.86 ERA) on the mound for this one.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.23
- Hits: 9.25
- Walks: 3.80
- Strike Outs: 7.16
- Runs: 4.08
- Hits: 7.42
- Walks: 2.83
- Strike Outs: 10.13
Why bet on the Cleveland Indians?
When we were all predicting the division winners for this season, there were probably a lot of us who had the Cleveland Indians as a definite winner of the AL Central. They made that pick look pretty foolish in the early going, but they have been on a tear over the last couple of months that has seen them cut into a huge Minnesota Twins lead, getting the deficit down to just 2 games.
The Indians have been winning at an incredibly steady rate during this run, including taking 7 of their last 10 games. They are in a very nice spot in the Wild Card race and are now 32-21 SU at home. Cleveland will have Shane Bieber (10-3, 3.44 ERA) on the mound.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 4.64
- Hits: 8.36
- Walks: 3.54
- Strike Outs: 8.17
Defense
- Runs: 4.01
- Hits: 7.88
- Walks: 2.76
- Strike Outs: 9.44
Diamondbacks vs Yankees MLB Lines & Pick for Tuesday Night
Astros vs Indians MLB Betting Trends
- Astros are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
- Indians are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Cleveland’s last 10 games against an opponent in the American League West division
- Astros are 62-27 against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons
- Indians are 153-117 against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons
- Verlander is 21-24 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 4.66 and a WHIP of 1.306
- Bieber is 0-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.167
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
If this series is anything like the previous one between these teams, which ended in a 2-2 split, then we are in for a treat. This should be an excellent pitching duel, which is why the UNDER is the bet I like here.
Score: Houston Astros 4 – Cleveland Indians 3
