Ideally, the teams at the top of their respective divisions at this stage of the season would love to clinch and perhaps relax a little in the final few weeks of the season. That said, there may be some players who would prefer that the races play out a little longer, as getting into high-pressure games every night can serve as the perfect preparation for the playoffs. The Houston Astros and the Oakland A’s are in a real dogfight in the AL West right now, a race that is a whole lot closer than any of us realistically expected. They will play a matinee game on Wednesday afternoon, the third in a 4-game series that will go a long way towards determining who wins this division. This will be the last meeting between these two teams this season, and with the gap in the MLB odds at the top being a game and a half in favor of the defending World Series champions, it’s fair to suggest that the A’s need this one more than the Astros.

Athletics at Astros MLB Spread & Betting Prediction

RECAP: Martini’s ninth inning double gives A’s edge over Astros. https://t.co/R5uu2vcwzg #RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/A7IQ0gvgpb

— Oakland Athletics 🌳🐘⚾️ (@Athletics) August 29, 2018

When: Wednesday, August 29 at 2:10 PM EST Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston Starting Pitchers: Trevor Cahill Vs Dallas Keuchel TV: MLB Network Radio: Oakland / Houston Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Odds: Houston -1.5 (+135) / U 8.5 (-110)

Weather Forecast

• Chance of Thunderstorm: 32^°C/89^°F
• Humidity: 61%
• Precipitation: 40%
• Wind: 6 mph SE
• Cloud Cover: 79%
• Type of Stadium: Retractable

Why bet on the Oakland A’s?

You have to give credit to the A’s for bouncing back and getting the win after getting thumped in the opening game of this series. It probably shouldn’t have come as a major surprise that they were able to do so, as this team has made a habit of finding ways to win, especially in the second half of the season, where they have gone on a fabulous run to pass the Mariners and get within a game and a half of the division favorites. Despite the big win on Tuesday night, Oakland have still had some problems against Houston this season, going just 7-11 against them in previous games. That said, they have played well at Minute Maid Park, boasting a 5-4 record in the 9 games played in Houston. The A’s will send Trevor Cahill (5-3, 3.44 ERA) to the mound for this one. The A’s have won 7 of the last 8 game he has started.

Why bet on the Houston Astros?

The Astros are finding out just how difficult it is to repeat as a champion, as injuries and minor slumps have slowed them down a little this season. Just when it looked as though they had finally disposed of the Mariners challenge, the rearview mirror suddenly showed the A’s making a major move. It has been a bit of an odd season for the champions, as they have just not been particularly convincing in their own ball park. Houston are just 4 games above .500 in their own building as compared to 26 games above .500 on the road. They might actually be more content with not winning home field advantage through the playoff. The starter for this one will be Dallas Keuchel (10-10, 3.54 ERA).

MLB Betting Trends for Athletics vs Astros

 

• Oakland is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games
• Oakland is 4-1 SU in the last 5 games
• The total went UNDER in 4 of Oakland’s last 5 games
• Houston is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 games
• Houston is 6-1 SU in the last 7 games
• The total went OVER in 4 of Houston’s last 6 games

 

Athletics at Astros MLB Betting Prediction

I think we are looking at another tight game here, just as we saw in the Tuesday night meeting. I’m not a huge fan of the Astros at home this season, but I think they will find a way to get the win here. Oakland A’s 4 Houston Astros 5