Rockies vs Astros Odds: Houston Looks to Fatten Up Against Last-Place Colorado

Injuries have slowed the Houston Astros’ World Series title defense. Still, there’s little reason to worry. Big picture, the Astros are on solid ground.

The last-place Colorado Rockies will be in for a quick two-game set, starting July 4. That should afford Houston an opportunity to, if nothing else, pad its record heading into next week’s All-Star break.

What should you know about the series? Read on as we break down the Rockies vs Astros odds.

Still Waiting on Yordan

All-Star outfielder Yordan Alvarez has made progress since landing on the Injured List on June 9. Alvarez took batting practice Sunday, a notable development in his rehab from a strained oblique. He reportedly hopes to ramp up baseball activities in the coming days, though there remains no clear timetable for his return. Keep that in mind as you assess the Rockies vs Astros odds.

Prior to the injury, Alvarez was batting .272 with 17 home runs in 57 games. He led the majors with 55 RBI and ranked second in the American League in homers and slugging percentage behind Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge. He was selected to the AL All-Star team but will not play.

The Astros hit .257 with 38 homers in June, their most in a calendar month this season. Despite that, they went just 14-15 and failed to make up ground on first-place Texas. At 46-38 entering Monday, Houston sits 4.0 games behind the Rangers in the AL West and is tied with New York for the second Wild Card spot.

Houston also remains without outfielder Michael Brantley (shoulder) and pitcher Framber Valdez (ankle). It did, however, get back second baseman Jose Altuve, who has 18 RBI and a .861 OPS in 31 games this season.

Favorable Outlook on Houston

Oddsmakers remain bullish on Houston despite a rash of key injuries. The Astros are still -125 to win the AL West and +400 to make the World Series. The Braves have taken over as World Series favorites at +400, but Houston is still fourth on the board at +900. The Rays (+500) and Dodgers (+600) are the only two other clubs ahead.

Free Falling Rockies

There’s only one way for Colorado to go in the standings, and that’s up! At 33-53 entering Monday, the Rockies sit in last place in the National League, 2.5 games behind Washington (34-49). Making matters worse, there’s no reason to think the Rockies will curb their slide anytime soon, especially given their dearth of pitching.

The Rockies rank 29th in both ERA (5.82) and WHIP (1.56) and have tied for the third-fewest quality starts in the majors (18). They’ve also allowed the most home runs, with 127 in 86 games. Their run differential is an NL-worst minus-142. What’s to blame? It’s easy, of course, to point to Coors Field. Because of its high altitude, the ballpark has been a launching pad since it opened in 1995. But the Rockies have also had a particularly difficult time developing any reliable pitchers.

Coming into this season, Kyle Freeland and German Marquez were supposed to be the backbone of Colorado’s rotation. However, those plans have backfired. Freeland continues to regress, and Marquez is out indefinitely after needing Tommy John surgery.

Notably, the Rockies are just 39-47 against the run line, per MLB point spreads. That includes 19-23 on the road.

In nine appearances (eight starts), Bieland is 3-4 with a 4.37 ERA. The Rockies will counter with Freeland, who is 4-8 with a 4.88 ERA. He’s allowed 15 homers in 90.1 innings, tied with six others for the seventh-most in baseball.

According to the Rockies vs Astros odds, Houston is -1.5 (EV/+120) on the run line and -200 to win outright. Colorado is +170. The projected total is 9.5, (EV/-120).

France has been steady as a rookie, registering a 3.13 ERA in 10 starts. The 28-year-old right-hander has struggled at times with his control, though. He’s walked 20 in 60.1 innings.

Anderson is now with his sixth organization since 2019 after being designated for assignment by Tampa Bay in May. The 35-year-old journeyman got off to a decent start with Colorado, but he’s been shelled of late. Over his last three appearances, Anderson has been tagged for 22 runs in 9.1 innings. That includes a 25-1 loss to the Angels on June 24, in which Anderson allowed nine runs on 10 innings in 2.2 frames.

For MLB score predictions, betting odds, and more, visit Point Spreads.

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