Rangers vs Astros Odds: Houston Poised for ALCS Rebound
Houston Hopes 2022 Postseason Star Valdez Can Deliver in Crucial Game 2 in the ALCS
Texas Looks To Stay Perfect in the Playoffs and Post Another Road Victory
The Texas Rangers struck first in more ways than one to take the lead in the American League Championship Series. The defending World Series champion Houston Astros are favored to even the series, according to the Rangers vs Astros odds.
Jordan Montgomery, who began the season with the St. Louis Cardinals, teamed with three relief pitchers on a five-hit shutout while rookie Evan Carter came up with two key defensive plays in the outfield and scored the only run Texas needed in the series opener as the Rangers won 2-0.
The Astros turn to Framber Valdez to try to even the series. He struggled in his first postseason start this year but was 3-0 in four postseason starts in last year’s run to the World Series title for the Astros. Nathan Eovaldi will pitch for the Rangers. Eovaldi was showing up in the MLB Cy Young odds earlier in the season. He is 2-0 so far in this year’s playoffs but 2-2 against the Astros in the postseason during his career.
The MLB scores and predictions have the Astros priced at -118 to win Game 2.
The Rangers saw their odds to win the series moved from +110 to -190 odds after the Game 1 win with the Astros now priced at +160 in the series odds after opening at -140 in the series odds. The Rangers now have the best odds at +175 to win the World Series with the Astros priced at +300 in the championship odds.
Rangers at Astros 
Day/Time:
Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston
Moneyline: Texas Rangers -118/ Houston Astros+108
Total: 8.5
Streaming: FOX/FS1
Rookie Continues to Deliver
Last year, it was Houston rookie Jeremy Pena who was a postseason star and now it is 21-year-old Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter who continues to deliver.
Carter had a one-out double in the second inning against future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander and scored on Jonah Heim’s single and he began a double play in the eighth inning after Houston second baseman Jose Altuve led off with a walk. Carter has a hit in each game in the playoffs.
After having 10 extra-base hits in 23 regular-season games after being called up from the minor leagues, he has five more in six postseason games. That could factor into the Rangers vs Astros odds.
The total has gone under in six of the last eight games played by the Rangers.
Valdez Looks To Rebound
This has not been the best of seasons for Valdez. Since he moved into the starting rotation in 2020, he was 33-15 for the Astros before slumping to 12-11 this season. His 3.45 ERA is the highest of the three seasons when he throws at least 100 innings.
It got even worse in his first start of the postseason as he gave up seven hits and five runs in 4.1 innings. Keep that in mind when looking at the Rangers vs Astros odds.
He came up huge for the Astros a season ago in the playoffs and the hope is that he rediscovers his postseason magic to help keep Houston from going on the road down 0-2 in the series.
Houston is 43-30 following a loss this MLB season.
Who’s Hot
- Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros DH: Alvarez is batting .350 with six extra-base hits in five playoff games.
- Jonah Heim, Texas Rangers C: Heim has hits in each of the seven postseason games with three RBIs for the Rangers.
- Ryan Pressly, Houston Astros P: Pressly has not allowed a hit in two postseason appearances and has struck out five of the six hitters he has faced.
- Josh Sborz, Texas Rangers P: Sborz has not allowed a run or a hit in four postseason appearances. He has three strikeouts and two walks in 3.1 innings in the playoffs.
Who’s Not
- Brock Burke, Texas Rangers P: Burke allowed a run, walked a batter and gave up two runs while retiring only one batter in his only postseason outing in 2023.
- Hector Neris, Houston Astros P: Neris has allowed three hits, two home runs and four runs in 3.1 innings in this year’s playoffs.
- Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers IF: Semien is 4-for-27 with four strikeouts in this year’s playoffs.
- Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros OF: Tucker is 2-for-18 with six strikeouts in this year’s playoffs.
Rangers vs Astros Head to Head
The road team won seven of the last nine meetings between the Astros and Rangers with Texas with the Rangers 5-0 in this year’s playoffs.
Houston won nine of the 13 games during the regular season, including seven wins in the last eight contests.
Six of the last eight games between the MLB teams finished over the total.
The teams were tied at 90-72 in the MLB standings during the regular season.
Rangers vs Astros Betting Preview
Houston didn’t make it to seven straight American League Championship Series without knowing how to bounce back after a loss.
Both teams look to get going after each had just three at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Likely because two runs were scored in the series opener, the under 8.5-run total is juiced to -120.
The total has gone over in four of the last times Texas played at Minute Maid Park.
Texas is 25-25 when listed as the underdog, but the Rangers have covered 48 of the 86 games as road underdogs. Houston is just 34-50 against the spread as a home favorite.
It is hard to pick against a team with the postseason pedigree of the Astros even if Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi has outperformed Valdez in this year’s playoffs.
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