Tampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros Prediction: Can Jose Urquidy, Astros Stay Hot?
The Astros are taking on the Rays in the first game of their series tonight. Can Jose Urquidy and the Astros stay hot? Baseball betting expert Krabs answers.
Krabs - April 24, 2023, 3:03 PM EDT
5 minTampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros Prediction: Can Jose Urquidy, Astros Stay Hot?
The Tampa Bay Rays are the best team in baseball. Going for their 20th win of the season tonight against the Astros, this game will be must-see TV. It seems like Houston is officially out of their early season slump. The Astros are coming off sweeping the Braves in Atlanta this weekend. Will the Rays stay undefeated at home, or will Houston stay hot and defeat the Rays’ rookie starting pitcher?
Rays vs. Astros Start Time and Where to Watch
- Date: Monday, April 24, 2023
- Game Time: 6:40 pm ET
- Where to Watch: MLB.TV
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros Prediction
The Rays are 13-0 at home this season. With one of the best teams in baseball coming into town, this statistic surely can’t last, right? Well, Taj Bradley is a favorite tonight against one of the best lineups in baseball and a veteran arm in Jose Urquidy, who’s pitched well in 2023. This line is very telling.
Oddsmakers probably weren’t going to make the Rays an underdog, considering they’re the best team in baseball and haven't lost at home yet this season, but setting Bradley as a (-160) favorite against Urquidy is some serious respect for the rookie. Bradley has pitched well in two starts so far, and he is the highest-rated prospect in Tampa Bay. Either way, that’s serious respect for both the Rays and Bradley from the oddsmakers who set this line for tonight.
Houston not only swept the Braves this weekend, but the games also weren’t really close. You’d think the moneyline would be closer to a Pick ‘Em tonight, considering the Astros’ bats have awakened. Without Jose Altuve back in the lineup, I am still comfortable with fading this Astros team. They simply aren’t the same dominating lineup without their leader at the top of the order.
How often do we see the Astros as an underdog, let alone a (+130) underdog? When teams like the Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, or New York Mets are underdogs, it’s typically for a reason. The public generally likes to bet the better team at plus money for “value,” but this is a mistake more often than not. When the best teams in baseball are underdogs, you’re better off fading them; the Astros are a (+130) underdog against a rookie pitcher tonight for a reason.
Houston has been great on the road in 2023, winning six of their nine games. They typically play the Rays extremely well, winning four of the previous five matchups by a combined score of 15-4. There are times while sports betting when square plays hit, but it is important to remember that you’ll be much better off betting lines and not teams. To the average MLB viewer’s eyes, Tampa Bay probably shouldn’t be a (-160) favorite against the Astros tonight, but they are. Bet the Rays as a surprisingly heavy favorite against Houston tonight, and will improve their home record to 14-0 this season.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros Pick
Tampa Bay ML -160 is currently the best odds. Click here to find out which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick
MLB Odds
