Marlins prediction, odds, pick, how to watch
Two playoff hopefuls start their series today as the Houston Astros face the Miami Marlins. It is time to continue our MLB odds series with an Astros-Marlins prediction, pick, and how to watch.
The Astros come into the game after taking two of three from the Angels over the weekend. It was two dominating wins to open the series. In game one, Justin Verlander went six innings, striking out seven and giving up three runs. Still, the Astros scored seven in the first three innings, with Jon Singleton hitting two home runs in an 11-3 win. In game two, it was Kyle Tucker leading the way. He notched four RBIs in another 11-3 victory. The Angels got the last game of the series though, with the help of Shohei Ohtani hitting his 41st home run of the season, and taking a 2-1 victory. The Astros have now won six of their last ten games, and are 2.5 games back of the Rangers in the division. They are currently also in the second Wild Card spot in the American League.
Meanwhile, the Marlins took two of three from the Yankees over the weekend. After losing 9-4 in game one, they took the second game of the series 3-1. It looked like they were well on their way to taking the loss in the series' final game until they made a massive comeback. The Marlins scored just two runs off Gerrit Cole in the first six innings and found themselves down 7-2 going into the seventh.
After getting a run in the eighth, they were still down four in the bottom of the ninth. First, they loaded the bases on a double, an infield single, and a walk. Then an error led to two runs scoring. Luis Arraez then hit a triple that tied the game. Finally, Jake Burger hit a single to center to win it. It places the Marlins at 62-57 on the year, a half-game up on the Cubs and Reds for the final Wild Card spot.
Here are the Astros-Marlins MLB odds,
MLB Odds: Astros-Marlins Odds
Houston Astros: -1.5 (+118)
Miami Marlins: +1.5 (-142)
Over: 7.5 (-115)
Under: 7.5 (-105)
How To Watch Astros vs. Marlins
TV: ATTH/BSFL
Stream: MLB.TV
For the inside story on the 24 people banned from MLB, listen below:
Time: 6:40 PM ET/ 3:40 PM PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Astros Could Cover The Spread
For the most part, the Astros' offense has been hot lately. While winning five of their last seven games, they have scored 51 runs in the seven games, good for over seven runs a game. On the year, the Astors are seventh in runs scored, while sitting 14th in batting average, 13th in on-base percentage, and 13th in slugging. Kyle Tucker is the leader of this squad, leading the team in batting average, home runs, and RBIs this year. He continues to drive in runs this month. While hitting .261 in August with a .358 on-base percentage, he has driven in 16 runs. That is aided by three doubles and four home runs on the month. Tucker has also stolen four bases and scored eight times.
Tucker is not the only player coming into this game hot. Jose Altuve has been great in August. While hitting .413 on the month, he has a .500 on-base percentage. He also has driven in seven runs while hitting two home runs and four doubles. The most impressive part has been his run-scoring. With the help of four stolen bases, he has scored 13 times this month. As of late, Alex Bregman has also been on fire. In his last six games, he is hitting .435 with five RBIs. He he has two doubles in those games, while also walking five times, giving him an OBP of .536 in the last six games. Bregman has also scored three times in the last six games.
On the hill today will be Framber Valdez. He is 9-7 on the season with a 3.30 ERA. Going into July, he has been pitching amazingly. He has a 2.49 ERA at the end of June, but things took a bad turn in July. In July, he made four starts, giving up 17 runs in 21 innings of work, including four home runs. That gave him a 7.29 ERA on the month. He rebounded with a great first start of August, pitching all nine innings without giving up a hit or a run. He gave up just one walk in the game. Still, the next time out against the Orioles he gave up six runs in seven innings, taking the no decision.
Why The Marlins Could Cover The Spread
The Marlins have won four of their last five games, and for the most part, the bats have been hot. They have scored 23 runs in the last five games, well above their season average per game. On the year, the Marlins are tied for 26th in runs scored, but sit third in batting average, 16th in on-base percentage, and 19th in slugging. The two newest bats in the lineup come into this game hot. In the last six games, Josh Bell is hitting .304 with a .360 on-base percentage. He also has scored six times, while hitting a double and three home runs. That has led to six RBIs in the last week.
Meanwhile, Jake Burger has four RBIs in the last six games. He is hitting .391 in the last week, with four doubles and two runs scored. Burger is also getting on base a lot. He has an on-base percentage of .440 in the last six games. Jorge Soler is also hitting week. He is hitting .333 in the last week with a .375 on-base percentage. He has two home runs which have led to three RBIs in the last week. Still, the two home runs account for his only two runs scored in the last week.
It will be Braxon Garrett on the mound today for the Marlins. He is 6-3 with a 4.08 ERA on the season. His first two starts of August have been fairly average for his season. He has pitched 11 innings this month while giving up five runs. That has led to a 4.09 ERA this month with a 1-0 record, and the Marlins winning both games he has started.
Final Astros-Marlins Prediction & Pick
The pitching match-up is what to watch in this game. While Framber Valdez started the season strong, he has struggled as of late. Since the start of July, he is in the bottom ten percent of pitchers in average exit velocity on his balls and hard-hit balls. To add to things, his ERA on the road this year is sitting at 4.55, over two runs higher than on the road. Meanwhile, Braxton Garrett has been better on the road this year. His ERA at home is 2.5 runs higher than on the road. With these two pitchers both in situations where they do not pitch as well, the Over is a great choice here. Meanwhile, with how the Astros have been hitting as of late, take them in the game.
Final Astros-Marlins Prediction & Pick: Astros -1.5 (+118) and Over 7.5 (-115)
