Astros vs Rangers Prediction and Betting Odds May 19
Astros vs Rangers Betting Preview and Odds
Texas is coming off a series sweep of the Angels as they head to Minute Maid Park for a 4-game set with the Astros. WagerTalk MLB analyst Brian Ochsner offers his Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers betting preview for Thursday, May 19, with the first pitch scheduled for 8:10pm ET / 5:10pm PT.
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| Thursday, May 19 | MLB Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | Houston Astros -205 vs Texas Rangers +185 |
| Runline: | Astros -1.5 (-105) / Rangers +1.5 (-115) |
| Total: | 8 Runs (Over -110 / Under -110) |
| Game Time: | 8:10pm ET / 5:10pm PT |
| Where: | Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX |
| Weather: | Retractable Roof |
Astros vs Rangers Analysis
The Texas Rangers pay a visit to Minute Maid Park to play the Houston Astros in the first of a four game set. Right-hander Glenn Otto gets the start against southpaw Framber Valdez.
The Astros took two out of three from Boston at Fenway Park, and the Rangers swept a three game series with the Angels at home.
Rangers Preview
Sharp money has been on the Rangers for most of this year and now we’re seeing why. Texas won six of nine on their recent home stand and they’re playing really good baseball.
A big part of this success comes from improved hitting against left-handed pitching. The Rangers have vaulted up to 12th best in this category with an OPS of .690.
Their season-long numbers still aren’t that impressive, where they rank 22nd in team OPS and 24th in staff ERA. However, when you see them play they’re a much different and better team than they were to start the season.
Starter Glenn Otto had three good starts to begin 2022, but had a rough outing at home on May 14 versus the Red Sox. He gave up eight hits, eight earned runs and two home runs in 4.0 innings of work.
Astros Preview
After a slow start to the season, Houston has played much better over the last two weeks. They have the 3rd best team ERA, 6th highest OPS and 2nd best bullpen ERA in baseball.
The Astros went 6-3 on their recent road trip to Minnesota, Washington and Boston. The hitting really came around, especially in the Tuesday night rout of Boston where they lit up Nathan Eovaldi for five home runs in one inning.
In seven starts, Framber Valdez is 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. And in five of his six starts, he’s given up three earned runs or less and just one home run. Valdez had some control problems earlier this year, but seems to have solved them with a walk rate of just 2.5 free passes per nine innings.
Astros vs Rangers Prediction
Texas comes into this series with a lot of momentum and confidence, while Houston is playing their first game at home after a nine game road trip – which is usually a spot to fade a team.
This looks to be a bounce back start for Glenn Otto, and a solid “buy low” situation for the Rangers.
We’re getting good value on the visiting team at -115 for +1.5 runs. That’s why I’ll take Texas on the run line.
Prediction: Texas Rangers +1.5 Run Line
Interested in placing a bet on Thursday’s Astros vs Rangers American League clash? Caesars Sports is offering up to a $1,500 match bet for first-time deposits in New Jersey, West Virginia, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, New York and Louisiana.
First Pitch | MLB Betting Preview for May 19
Join Drew Martin and a rotating panel of guests for First Pitch as we break down the daily baseball slate from a betting perspective. With it being a travel day, a shorter slate of baseball comes at us on Thursday. Join WagerTalk’s team of MLB betting experts every weekday at 1:45pm ET / 10:45am PT for First Pitch as we discuss the baseball betting slate.
WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the MLB moneylines, run lines and betting percentages for all of Thursday’s baseball games, including this Astros vs Rangers showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Brian Ochsner graduated from Kansas State University with degrees in Accounting and Agribusiness. He’s a life-long baseball fan and “numbers guy” who tolerates the Colorado Rockies (bad ownership), and is a Denver Broncos and Kansas State Wildcats fan. Along with his interest in the sports wagering industry, he enjoys eating good BBQ, reading books on marketing, finance and economics, and playing Texas Hold ‘Em poker.
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