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The Houston Astros take on the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night to begin an important series. Check out our MLB odds series as we give you an Astros-Guardians prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
Astros-Guardians Projected Starters
Ronel Blanco vs. Joey Cantillo
Ronel Blanco (12-6) with a 2.88 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 162.1 innings pitched, 163K/63BB, .193 oBA
Last Start: vs. Los Angeles Angels: 6 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
2024 Road Splits: 13 starts, 2.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 75 innings pitched, 70K/28BB, .202 oBA
Joey Cantillo (2-3) with a 4.63 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 35 innings pitched, 37K/13BB, .223 oBA
Last Start: vs. Minnesota Twins: No Decision, 4.1 innings, 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts
2024 Home Splits: 4 games, 3 starts, 2.40 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 15 innings pitched, 17K/4BB, .214 oBA
Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Astros-Guardians Odds
Houston Astros: -1.5 (+168)
Moneyline: +102
Cleveland Guardians: +1.5 (-205)
Moneyline: -120
Over: 8 (-105)
Under: 8 (-115)
How to Watch Astros vs. Guardians
Time: 7:10 PM ET/4:10 PM PT
TV: Space City Home Network, Bally Sports Great Lakes
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why The Astros Will Cover The Spread/Win
Ronel Blanco is pitching great this season. His ERA is under 3.00, and the Astros have won every game he has pitched this month. In those four games, Blanco has thrown 19 innings, allowed 15 hits, struck out 22, and he has an ERA of 0.95. Blanco is lights out right now, and the Astros need him to be in this game if they want to win. As long as Blanco pitches as he has been, the Astros will win this game.
Houston is a good hitting team. They are third in the MLB in batting average, ninth in slugging percentage, 10th in home runs, and they have the third-fewest strikeouts this season. Houston makes a lot of contact, and it works out for them. Yordan Alvarez is out, but the rest of the lineup can do some damage. If the Astros can continue to hit the ball well, the Astros will win this game on the road.
Why The Guardians Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Guardians have a great chance to earn the top seed in the American League if they can keep winning. They are in an extremely tight race with the New York Yankees, so each game counts when it comes to home-field advantage. Joey Cantillo can give the Guardians a good start to the weekend. He has a 1.10 ERA in September, struck out 22 batters, and opponents are batting just .143 off him through 16.1 innings pitched. If he can continue to pitch well, the Guardians will start the weekend off with a win.
The Astros, as mentioned, are a good offensive team. However, there are a few things they struggle with. Houston has the second-highest chase rate in the MLB. They might make contact when they chase those pitches, but the contact is not hard. Cantillo has a high whiff rate, and he does not allow a lot of hard hits. If he can get the Astros to chase out of the zone, the Guardians will win this game.
Final Astros-Guardians Prediction & Pick
This is a very solid pitching matchup. I would not be surprised to see the Under hit in this game, which is why I like the Guardians. I think the Guardians are playing well right now, and Cantillo should be able to shut down the Astros enough to win this game.
Final Astros-Guardians Prediction & Pick: Guardians ML (-120)
