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The Houston Astros will take on the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday (September 30) night in MLB action. Houston has clinched a playoff berth for a while now, while the Rays are almost a lock to make the playoffs, barring an unexpected collapse.
The Astros fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, bringing their record to 102-54 on the season, which is still the best in the AL. Meanwhile, for the Rays, they hold an 85-71 record this year after losing against the Cleveland Guardians, their fourth loss in their past five.
Houston has been really tough to beat at home, holding a 51-24 record at Minute Maid Park. The Astros, meanwhile, also have a four-game active winning streak versus the Rays entering Friday.
Framber Valdez will be starting tonight for the Astros. He's 16-5 with a 2.69 ERA through 29 starts. He has been dominant this season, and he'll be up against a struggling Rays lineup. With their current slump, the Rays lineup now ranks 20th in runs scored and 21st in OPS.
Last start, Valdez tossed 5 1/3 innings, surrendering 11 hits and four earned runs, while fanning six in a win against the Baltimore Orioles. The Houston left-hander usually doesn't give up that many hits, but the good news is that he has been solid at his home stadium. We'll see if Valdez, who has a 2.36 ERA in his previous six, can keep rolling in the series opener.
Tampa Bay will tab Drew Rasmussen for Friday's game. He has a 10-7 record with a 2.85 ERA in 27 starts. He has been excellent this season, but he'll be pitching against a very good Astros lineup. Rasmussen has a 3.53 FIP indicating that he's been lucky so far this year though, so look for Houston to try and muster some offense off of the righty.
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Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros Match Details
Fixture: Tampa Bay Rays @ Houston Astros
Date & Time: Friday, September 30; 8:10 pm EDT
Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros Betting Odds
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Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros Betting Prediction
The Rays have not been able to hit at all recently, and Valdez has been extremely reliable all year long. The Astros have gone 20-9 in Valdez's starts. and Rasmussen struggled a couple of weeks ago at home versus Houston. Expect the home team to lead after five innings tonight.
Prediction: Astros First 5 Innings -0.5 (-120)
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