Astros vs. Athletics prediction, odds, pick, how to watch

The Houston Astros take on the Oakland Athletics. Our MLB odds series has our Astros Athletics prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Astros Athletics.

The Houston Astros have struggled this season for some very obvious reasons, chiefly the injury absences of Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, Lance McCullers, Jose Urquidy, and others. One reason they're still in a decent position in the American League wild card race is the Oakland Athletics. The Astros are 7-0 against the A's in 2023 after winning the first game of this four-game series on Thursday night in Oakland, 3-1. Houston pitching has completely dominated Oakland hitting, allowing 10 runs in the seven games played between the two teams.

The urgency of this series for Houston is evident. The Astros have a weaker opponent they thrive against. They have to collect these wins so that when they play tougher teams in the remainder of their schedule, they won't have to be perfect. Houston enters this Friday game tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for the second American League wild card spot. The Astros don't have to pass Toronto to make the playoffs; they just have to hold off the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, and Seattle Mariners. Continuing to feast on the A's could be the difference between making or missing the postseason.

Here are the Astros-Athletics MLB odds,

MLB Odds: Astros-Athletics Odds

Houston Astros: -1.5 (-134)

Oakland Athletics: +1.5 (+112)

Over: 7.5 (-104)

Under: 7.5 (-118)

How To Watch Astros vs. Athletics

TV: AT&T SportsNet Houston (Astros) / Bally Sports California (Athletics) / MLB Extra Innings

Stream: MLB.tv

Time: 9:40 p.m. ET/6:40 p.m. PT

*Watch Astros-Athletics LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Astros Could Cover The Spread

The Astros' mastery of the A's is self-evident, but obviously, it's rare to see teams go 13-0 against any opponent in any season series, as bad as the other team might be. The A's are bound to win a game at some point against the Astros, so you need to be careful about betting on Houston. Why trust the Astros here? Framber Valdez is pitching. He is one of the most consistent pitchers in the game with a low ERA and a track record of delivering quality starts on a continuous basis. If he delivers a quality start, the chances are that the Astros will score enough to win. Houston did not hit well on Thursday in Oakland, but the Astros were coming off a plane flight and a series in Denver against the Colorado Rockies, part of a very long Western road trip. They were tired, so it's not a shock they scored only three runs on Thursday. They should score at least five runs in this game. If Framber pitches a normal Framber game, the Astros will win by multiple runs.

Why The Athletics Could Cover The Spread

The A's are indeed going to beat the Astros at some point this season. That's part of the hard part of baseball betting: Better teams are going to lose to worse teams a few times. The best teams in baseball lose 55 to 65 games each season. No one sweeps everyone all the time — maybe some of the time, but not 100 percent of the time. The A's did just win two of three from the Boston Red Sox before starting their Houston series. They have barely scored any runs against the Astros in 2023. They're bound to score a few runs at some point. Houston is without Yordan and Altuve, so that also should help Oakland finally break through.

Final Astros-Athletics Prediction & Pick

The A's probably will win a game against Houston, but not against Framber Valdez. Take the Astros.

Final Astros-Athletics Prediction & Pick: Astros -1.5