Wednesday's Tigers vs. Astros game has a first pitch set for 2:32 PM ET from Minute Maid Park in Houston. The Astros are the heavy favorites on the money line, with their odds sitting at -178 compared to the Tigers at +150. The over/under line is currently at 7.5 runs.
The forecast for Wednesday's game in Houston calls for partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-80s. ABC will be televising this AL matchup, and the Astros will be looking to complete the three-game sweep, as they have won the first two games. Detroit is 86-76, while the Astros lead the AL West at 88-73.
Detroit vs. Houston Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Tigers at Astros
- Where: Minute Maid Park Houston
- Date: Wednesday, October 2nd
- Betting Odds HOU -178 | DET +150 O/U 7.5
Tigers vs Astros Last Game Recap
Detroit rallied for three runs in the 9th inning in the most recent game of this Tigers vs. Astros series. The Tigers scored one run in the 1st inning but didn't score another run until putting up three in the top of the 9th, picking up a 3-1 win. Heading into the game, the Tigers were at +121 on the money line.
Tarik Skubal pitched well for the Tigers in the game, going six innings and striking out six without giving up a run. He picked up a win in the game, while Beau Brieske got the save. Framber Valdez had a good outing for the Astros, going 4 1/3 innings and striking out three.
Jake Rogers hit the game's only home run while going 2/4 with three RBIs. Wenceel Perez also had two hits and scored a run for Detroit's offense.
Tigers Preview
As the Tigers prepare for game two against Houston, they hold a 1-0 lead in this best-of-three series. Detroit is on the road, where they went 43-38 during the regular season, matching their home record. They’ve won three straight road games and three straight as underdogs.
Detroit finished the regular season with an 87-76 run line record, including 52-30 on the road. They’ve also covered the run line in three consecutive road games. As underdogs, their run line record is 63-34. The Tigers’ over/under record is 78-80, and 61.7% of their games had higher totals than today’s 7.5 line.
Tyler Holton gets the start for the Tigers today as he faces the Astros on the road. So far, he has made nine starts and 67 appearances. Holton's record for the season is 7-2, and he has an ERA of 2.19. This year, opponents are batting .171 off the left-hander. Holton most recently pitched on October 1st out of the bullpen, where he went one-third of an inning and didn't give up a run. In that outing, he didn't give up a hit, walk, or homer. Holton has finished with a no-decision in each of his last three outings.
As a team, the Tigers are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 19th in the league. They have been a bit better on the road, averaging 4.3 runs per contest. Detroit's offense is also 19th in home runs and has a team batting average of just .234. The Tigers' team on-base percentage is just .300, which is 21st in the MLB.
Riley Greene has been swinging a good bat of late, going 10/36 in his last nine games. For the season, he is batting .262 with a team-leading 74 RBIs. Kerry Carpenter has also been swinging a good bat of late, going 6/22 in his last eight games, with three homers in that stretch. Carpenter is batting .284 for the season and is 2nd on the team with 57 RBIs.
Astros Preview
Facing a must-win game two against Detroit, Houston looks to even the series and avoid elimination. The Astros finished the regular season with an 88-73 record, going 46-35 at home and 42-38 on the road. They’ve dropped their last two home games but have won two straight overall.
Houston’s run line record is 83-79, while they’ve lost five straight at home against the run line. The under has hit in their last three games, and their overall over/under record is 65-91. Today’s 7.5-run line is below their season average of 8.6 runs.
Hunter Brown will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Mariners, as he gave up one earned run in six innings of work, taking the loss in the process. Looking back over his last three starts, Brown has given up at least one homer in each outing. His record for the season is 11-9, and he has an ERA of 3.49 to go along with a WHIP of 1.27. Brown has made 30 starts, and opponents are batting .232 vs. the right-hander. For the season, he has made 19 quality starts. Brown's ERA on the road is 10.59 compared to 3.54 at home.
Yordan Alvarez has been the Astros' best power hitter this season, as his 35 homers are the most on the team and 9th most in the league. Alvarez is also batting .308 this season, which is the 2nd best average among Houston's regular starters. Alex Bregman has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 10/25 in his last seven games with two homers.
As a team, the Astros are averaging 4.6 runs per game and are one of the league's top home run hitting teams. Overall, they are 2nd in batting average and have the 8th best slugging percentage in the league. Houston's offense has been very good at home this season, averaging 4.8 runs per contest.
Tigers vs. Astros Prediction: Under 7.5 Runs -113
We see the Astros coming away with a 4-3 win over the Tigers, and with the money line payout for the Astros being -178, we like the payout on the under, with the line sitting at 7.5 runs. Our prediction is that the game will go under, and we would recommend taking the under at -113.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Tyler Holton is projected to finish with five strikeouts compared to Hunter Brown, who we have finishing with six. However, Brown is projected to finish with a higher strikeout total than Holton, and he also has a better home run projection.
