Astros vs. Rangers Prediction, Odds and Props: Texas Will Stay Cold
In an American League West clash in the Lone Star State, the Texas Rangers host the Houston Astros.
A day after Houston pitchers combined to no-hit Texas, BetMGM Sportsbook has the Rangers as the home favorites in this game, listed at -140, with an 8-run total.
Our Astros vs. Rangers prediction, player prop picks, and odds analysis are here to aid bettors in discovering helpful insights and trends.
Astros vs. Rangers odds (May 26)
| Moneyline | Total (Over/Under) | Run Line |
| Astros (+115) | Over 8 runs (-118) | Astros, +1.5 runs (-185) |
| Rangers (-140) | Under 8 runs (-102) | Rangers, -1.5 runs (+150) |
How these teams have fared recently
While both of these teams are under .500, no team in the AL West is over .500, and the Athletics lead the division at 27-27.
The Astros (23-31) are hot, winners of four in a row and five of six, now 3.5 games out of first in the division.
While the Astros are on the rise, the Rangers (24-29) are headed in the other direction. They enter this game on a four-game losing streak and are now sitting third in the AL West, 2.5 games out of the top spot.
On the season, the Rangers are 11-11 at home, and the Astros are 12-17 on the road.
Astros no-no Rangers in Game 1
In the opener of this series, the Astros beat the Rangers 9-0. Three pitchers combined for a no-hitter, while Christian Walker and Yordan Alvarez each went yard and combined for five runs batted in.
Astros vs. Rangers betting analysis
Astros
- Runs – 11th
- Team batting average – 8th
- Team ERA – 30th
- Bullpen ERA – 30th
Rangers
- Runs – 28th
- Team batting average – 23rd
- Team ERA – 8th
- Bullpen ERA – 2nd
Pitching Matchup
Jason Alexander (1-0, 7.30 ERA, 1.70 WHIP) goes for the Astros in his second start of the season. In the last one, he tossed six scoreless innings, allowing four hits in a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins. His other two appearances have been out of the bullpen, where he was lit up for five runs in each one, across 6 1/3 innings.
Jack Leiter (1-4, 4.61 ERA, 1.39 WHIP) takes the hill for the Rangers on Tuesday. In his latest start, Leiter was not sharp, giving up four runs on seven hits in five innings. He got help from the lineup, though, in a 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies. That was not the case in his previous start, where he only gave up one run in seven innings of a 2-0 loss to the Astros.
Astros pitchers finding their form?
The Astros rank dead last in the Majors in both team ERA and bullpen ERA. Unlike their season numbers, the team's pitching has been decent in recent days. They have two shutouts in their four-game winning streak, where they have given up a total of seven runs.
Leaders get it done
Yordan Alvarez (.301, 16 home runs, 33 RBIs) went deep in Game 1 of this series and leads Houston in batting average and homers, but he has only two hits in the last five games.
Christian Walker (.265, 15 home runs, 40 RBIs) also went yard in the opener, leads the club in runs driven in, and is on a tear with four long balls and nine RBIs over the last three games.
Houston is a little shorthanded, as starting second baseman Jose Altuve (.245, 4 home runs, 12 RBIs) and starting shortstop Carlos Correa (.279, 3 home runs, 16 RBIs) are both out with injuries.
Rangers have to get over it
With the sting of being no-hit in Game 1 still fresh, the Rangers face the challenge of regrouping. They have scored just three runs over their last three games.
Jake Burger (.240, 10 home runs, 34 RBIs) leads the team in dingers and RBIs and has two solo shots in the last five games.
Brandon Nimmo (.302, 6 home runs, 18 RBIs) leads the club in batting average and has four hits and two RBIs in the last five games.
The top sportsbooks have the Rangers (+260) with the second-best odds to win the AL West, with the Astros (+900) holding the fourth-best odds.
PlayersBest prediction: Astros moneyline (+115)
It's crazy that the Astros had three pitchers combine for a no-hitter in Game 1 despite ranking dead last in the Majors in team ERA and bullpen ERA.
Tough to get a read on the starting matchup, as Alexander was great in his first start but got lit up in his two outings out of the bullpen. Leiter was not sharp in his last start but solid in the one before that (against the Astros).
We're taking Houston here, as they're the hotter team. The Astros have won three of four games against the Rangers this season, and Texas has struggled at the dish in the last three games. Houston will get the W for their fifth win in a row.
Astros vs. Rangers player prop picks
Here are some player prop bets we like at DraftKings Sportsbook:
- Jack Leiter 6+ strikeouts (+105) – He has at least 6 Ks in three of his last four starts.
- Jake Burger anytime home run (+485) – Pretty good value for a player with two homers in the last five games.
- Christian Walker anytime home run (+405) – Walker is on a tear with four round-trippers in the last three games.
