The Tampa Bay Rays head on the road to take on the Houston Astros in game one of a three-game series Friday evening at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. So let's check out our MLB odds series, which includes our Rays-Astros prediction and pick.

Tampa Bay (62-43) is coming off a split series with their in-state neighbors the Miami Marlins. They were able to take game one handily winning 4-1 but they got routed in the last game of the series 7-1 where their starting pitcher Zach Eflin coughed up five of the seven runs through only four innings pitched. The Rays look to rebound as they head out to the midwest to take on the Houston Astros in a pivotal series to attempt to recapture the top spot in the AL East.

Houston (58-45) is battling it out with their in-state rivals the Texas Rangers for the top spot in the AL West. They are currently two games back as they welcome the Tampa Bay Rays to town for game one of their three-game series. They have won four of their last six while taking two of three in their last series against the Rangers to cut into their lead atop of the division. The Astros will be looking to keep the momentum going and really put the pressure on the Rangers as they take on the Tampa Bay Rays this evening.

Here are the Rays-Astros MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Rays-Astros Odds

Tampa Bay Rays: -118

Houston Astros: +100

Over: 8.5 (-112)

Under: 8.5 (-108)

How To Watch Rays vs. Astros

TV: FOX

Stream: MLB.TV

Time: 8:10 PM ET/5:10 PM PT

*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Rays Will Win

Shane McClanahan (11-1, 2.89 ERA) has been on a roll lately, with a 2.84 ERA over his last five starts. He also has not given up more than two runs in his last four while striking out at least seven batters in three of those five starts. McClanahan gets an Astros lineup that consists mainly of right-handed batters and he has shut down right-handed bats for the majority of the season. He has given up only a .198 batting average with a strikeout rate of 28%.

While the Rays may have struggled offensively recently they are still fourth in the league in runs per game with 5.19 runs per nine innings. They are also 11th in the league in team batting average with .255. The Rays will look to rebound from their poor offensive performance in their last game against the Marlins when they take on Cristian Javier (7-2, 4.32 ERA) who takes the mound for the Astros this evening. Javier has been struggling as of late with keeping runners off the basepaths and runs off the board. If the Rays can capitalize off Javier's recent struggles they can get back on track as they contend for the top spot in the AL East.

Why The Astros Will Win

Although Cristian Javier (7-2, 4.32 ERA) has had some ups and downs this season, he has shown flashes of brilliance. In 2022, he posted an impressive 2.54 ERA and 2.43 xERA. While his numbers have dipped slightly this year, he still holds a respectable 4.32 ERA. If Javier can tap into his previous form, he can be a formidable force on the mound.

The Rays have been on a bit of a slide lately, losing their last game against the Miami Marlins by a score of 7-1. This could indicate a dip in their overall performance and give the Astros an opportunity to capitalize on their recent struggles. While the Astros don't boast the explosive offense that we've seen from them in the past, they are still putting up some good numbers. They have plated 19 runs in their last three games against the divisional-leading Texas Rangers. The Astros get a tough matchup against Shane McClanahan (11-1, 2.89 ERA) but he's given up two home runs and had troubles with walks in his last two games which gives the Astros some confidence as they come into tonight's matchup.

Final Rays-Astros Prediction & Pick

Two of the best teams in the American League square off tonight when the Tampa Bay Rays head to Houston to take on the Astros. The Rays have been struggling offensively as of late but their ace Shane McClanahan will give them ample opportunities to just put some runs up on the board to get this win tonight. I expect McClanahan to pitch lights out against this Astros lineup who have struggled at spurts this season against hard-throwing righties. Ultimately, McClanahan limits the damage from the Astros lineup tonight while the Rays just put up enough runs to get the job done and get back into the win column.

Final Rays-Astros Prediction & Pick: Tampa Bay Rays (-118), Under 8.5 (-108)