It is never too late in the season for some exciting inter-league action as the Arizona Diamondbacks travel to the Lone Star State to open up a mini-two game series as they take on the Houston Astros. Join us for our MLB odds series, where our Diamondbacks-Astros prediction and pick will be made.
Despite being eliminated from postseason play for quite some time now, there is still a week of baseball to be played for the Diamondbacks that can give them some much-needed confidence and swagger heading into the winter and on to next season. After narrowly being bested by the Giants in a low-scoring 3-2 affair, Arizona will send out right-handed twirler Zach Davies against the top team in the American League. In his 25 starts on the year, Davies is 2-4 with a 4.03 ERA overall.
With a sparkling 101-53 record that includes an impeccable 50-23 mark at home, the Astros are heavy World Series favorites as we come to the final stretch of the 2022 MLB regular season. On the mound in this one for the ‘Stros will be RHP Lance McCullers Jr, who is definitely finding his rhythm in his seven starts since coming off of the injured list, as he has posted a 4-1 record to go along with a 2.38 ERA as a whole.
Here are the Diamondbacks-Astros MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Diamondbacks-Astros Odds
Arizona Diamondbacks: +1.5 (-110)
Houston Astros: -1.5 (-110)
Over: 8.5 (-110)
Under: 8.5 (-110)
Why The Diamondbacks Could Cover The Spread
Without a doubt, the Diamondbacks have been in the middle of a rebuild during this season but have shown promising aspects in most areas of play as they have appeared vastly improved from their 2021 finish that resulted in a dreadful 52-110 record. Currently, 71-83 through 154 games played, there is no doubt that Arizona is on its way to greener pastures in the not-too-distant future. In order to cover the spread against an Astros team that will serve as heavy favorites in this one, it is vital for the D-Backs to play loose and strike when the iron is hot.
At first glance, Houston certainly has the edge over Arizona in the talent department, but there will surely be a plethora of opportunities for the Diamondbacks to capitalize on barring an absolute dreadful showing. For starters, Arizona needs to put the pressure on Houston by reaching base at an all-time high. On the season, the D-Backs have been slightly below average when it comes to their on-base percentage, so remaining patient in their at-bats and making sure that they are making McCullers throw a hefty amount of pitches will be critical. The offense as a whole has generated the 14th-most runs in all of baseball, so there is some possibility of Arizona causing some harm with the sticks.
Additionally, there may not be anybody as important as hurler Zach Davies in the outcome of this contest. While Davies lacks velocity on his pitches, he makes up for it with his masterful command of the strike zone and his ability to rarely give free passes to opposing hitters. With that being said, Davies has posted eleven-consecutive no-decisions as he will be in for a tough task opposing this Houston lineup.
Why The Astros Could Cover The Spread
Don't look now, but the mighty Houston Astros have been eating their Wheaties for breakfast all year long. The Astros will be fortunate enough to play the remainder of their scheduled slate within the confines of their home at Minute Maid Park as the magic number to secure the best record in the American League is now at three. While they have reached the World Series a couple of times now over the last few seasons, Houston believes that their time is now more than ever to be on top of the baseball world once again.
On paper, many expert bettors and baseball analysts believe that this should be a piece of cake for the Astros in this Tuesday night inter-league matchup, and for good reason. Without a doubt, the best team in the sport has an array of options in which they can beat you. Whether it is dominating with the bats or leaving foes speechless from the mound, the Astros have been a good bet to cover the spread all season long.
In this bout against the Diamondbacks, Houston will need to avoid a massive letdown. It seems that the offense has broken out of a mini-slump by scoring eleven runs in their previous pair of games, so be on the lookout for this dangerous lineup to get after Davies in a hurry. If they can string together hits and use their elite .421 slugging percentage to their advantage, then it will be tough for Arizona to make this a ballgame.
Can McCullers continue his hot streak on the bump as well? Against the D-Backs, he has a combined 6.86 ERA, but he is coming off of a splendid start in which he tossed seven innings against the Rays while striking out eight hitters as well.
Final Diamondbacks-Astros Prediction & Pick
If you bet on the Diamondbacks in this one, you are a fool. Don't make that mistake.
Final Diamondbacks-Astros Prediction & Pick: Astros -1.5 (-110)
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