Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins Prediction and Betting Odds August 25
Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins Betting Preview
WagerTalk MLB analyst Brian Ochsner offers his analysis of Thursday’s Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins clash at Minute Maid Park. The Astros have won all five matchups between these two teams so far this season.
| Thursday, August 25 | MLB Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | Houston Astros -180 vs Minnesota Twins +152 |
| Runline: | Astros -1.5 (+120) / Twins +1.5 (-140) |
| Total: | 8 Runs (Over -105 / Under -115) |
| Game Time: | 8:10pm ET / 5:10pm PT |
| Where: | Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX |
| Weather: | Retractable Roof |
Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins Analysis
The Houston Astros host the Minnesota Twins Thursday night in the finale of their three game series. The home team took the first two games and are looking for the sweep.
Right-handers Chris Archer and Luis Garcia are your starters, and first pitch in Minute Maid Park is scheduled for 8:10 PM EDT. The Astros have won seven of their last 11 games and have the best record in the American League, while the Twins are 4.0 games behind Seattle for the third and final wild card spot.
Minnesota hasn’t played well as of late, and their problems were compounded when Byron Buxton left Monday’s game with a hip injury, and will be out indefinitely.
Twins Tumbling Down The AL Central
Chris Archer isn’t the pitcher he used to be, but he’s been a serviceable starter for the Twins in 2022. In 21 starts and 87.1 innings, the veteran right-hander has a 4.02 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.
While he’s not an innings eater – averaging just over 4.0 innings per start – Archer can usually get through an opposing lineup twice with minimal damage. In 10 of his last 12 starts, he’s given up just three earned runs or less.
The Twins are 10th in team OPS, 19th in staff ERA and 15th in bullpen ERA. They’ve been a streaky team as of late, losing their last five games and winning four in a row before their current streak.
Garcia Goes For Astros
Luis Garcia is probably the weakest link in the Astros starting rotation, but still has posted decent numbers this season. In 22 starts and 132 innings, the right-hander has a 4.09 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP with 127 strikeouts.
In his last seven starts and 40.2 innings, he’s posted a 4.65 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. And he doesn’t pitch nearly as well at Minute Maid Park as he does on the road, with a 4.88 ERA compared to a 3.26 road ERA – and 11 starts both home and away.
Garcia has faced the Twins once this season, back on May 12th in Minnesota. He went 5.0 shutout innings, allowing five hits with two walks and nine strikeouts, and his only good month this season was in May, where he posted a 2.33 ERA. Every other month his ERA has been over 4.00, and in four starts and 24.0 innings in August, his ERA is up to 5.25 with a 1.58 WHIP.
The Astros are the American League version of the Dodgers – with a solid lineup and pitching rotation, and very few weaknesses. Houston has the 6th best team OPS, plus 2nd best staff and bullpen ERA.
Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins Prediction
This is a bit of a tricky handicap as Archer is in better current form than Garcia, but the Astros are a better hitting lineup. Houston is 11th in OPS against righties the last 30 days, while the Twins are 21st.
I think both lineups could touch up both starters for at least 2-3 runs, that’s why I like the 1st 5 innings over 4.5 total runs scored.
Prediction: 1st 5 Innings Over 4.5 Total Runs Scored
First Pitch | MLB Predictions for Thursday, August 25
Join Drew Martin and a rotating panel of guests for First Pitch as we break down the daily baseball slate from a betting perspective. 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 Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins showdown, from your desktop or phone.
**************************************************
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.
Looking for more free sports picks and sports betting tips?
- Latest Betting Odds and Public Action: Vegas lines updated in real time, including who the public is betting on.
- Last Minute Handicapping Advice: Check out our extensive library of handicapping tips and advice from professional Vegas handicappers (we also recommend taking the time to look over our sports betting tips video library)
- Want an expert opinion? Check out the latest Free Sports Picks and Best Bets from our team of expert sports handicappers.
Make sure to bookmark all the above!
