Two of the MLB teams competing for the American League wild-card spots go head-to-head this week as the defending champion Houston Astros host the Boston Red Sox. These teams had completely opposite weekends, with Boston going 3-0 in New York and Houston getting swept at home by Seattle. That result has the resurgent Red Sox knocking on the door of the Astros standings in the wild card race.
Both teams have strong starting pitchers ready to go on Monday in the series opener. That matchup, along with the weekend results, impacts the Astros vs Red Sox odds for Monday night.
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Overall Game Info & Outlook
Houston Astros vs Boston Red Sox
Location: Minute Maid Park – Houston, Texas
Date & Time: August 21, 2023 – 8:10 p.m. ET
In their recent MLB matchups, Houston was swept in a three-game series by Seattle, outscored 19-9. Boston swept a three-game series at Yankee Stadium over the weekend to move within three games of a playoff spot.
Houston Astros vs. Boston Red Sox Betting Preview
Houston Astros Preview
Things have not gone well for the Houston Astros in the last week. They have lost four straight home games and were just swept by the Seattle Mariners, who closed the gap in the AL West to a half-game for second place. Houston is now in a dogfight for the AL Wild Card spots, with Tampa Bay ahead of them and Seattle, Toronto, and Boston giving chase, but those betting on baseball know the Astros are tough to beat.
In getting swept by the Mariners, Houston lost 2-0, 10-3, and 7-6. They have allowed at least five runs in five of the last six games, and the one time they didn’t was still a 2-0 loss.
Cristian Javier makes the start on Monday, and he has allowed six runs over 10⅔ innings in his last two starts.
- The Houston Astros are 4-6 in their last ten games.
- The over is 6-4 in the last 10 Astros games.
- The Astros are 21-19 in the first game of a series this season.
- Houston is 2-0 in the last two starts by Cristian Javier.
ASTRO-nomical Domination: Tucker’s Triple Crown and Bregman’s Run Riot Light Up the Season!
Kyle Tucker is having a fantastic season, and he leads qualified Astros in the triple-crown categories with a .296 average, 24 home runs, and 92 RBI. Jose Altuve collected his 2,000th career hit over the weekend, and though he has played in only 54 games, he is batting .327. Yordan Alvarez (21) and Alex Bregman (20) are right behind Tucker in home runs, and Bregman leads the team with 73 runs scored.
To win the opening game of the series on Monday, Houston needs a good start from Javier. If the Astros can get the lead, they have a well-rested back end of the bullpen. Ryan Pressly, who has 28 saves, has thrown just two innings in the last seven days.
Boston Red Sox Preview
The MLB schedule for the Red Sox had them playing each of their last 13 games against teams with a losing record. In that stretch against the Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, and New York Yankees, they are 9-4 and now just 2.5 games behind Toronto for third in the AL East and three games out of the final wild-card spot.
Boston’s MLB odds to make the playoffs are +370, up from +600 just a week ago. The next ten days will go a long way in determining if they are for real down the stretch. After this four-game series in Houston, the Red Sox host the Los Angeles Dodgers for three and then play the Astros again the final three days of August.
- The Boston Red Sox are 7-3 straight up in their last ten games
- The under is 7-3 in the last 10 Red Sox games.
- Boston is 24-17 in the first game of a series this season
- The Red Sox have scored three runs or less in four straight Paxton starts.
Red Sox Roar: Devers’ Dingers, Yoshida’s Average, and Paxton’s Pitching Power Fueling the Fire!
Rafael Devers leads the Red Sox with 29 home runs and 85 RBI on the season. Masataka Yoshida has a team-best .297 average, with Justin Turner ranking second at .288 with 20 homers and 79 RBI. Turner leads the team in runs scored with 72, while Alex Verdugo leads the team with 31 doubles.
Paxton, a lefty, leads Boston starters with a 3.34 ERA, and he ranks third on the team with seven wins. He is second on the team in quality starts and fourth in strikeouts. Kenley Jansen picked up his 30th save of the season on Sunday after not pitching since Tuesday.
The Red Sox offense has swung the bats well against lesser opposition in the last two weeks. They need to keep that going to beat Javier and the Astros on Monday. Paxton has allowed three runs or less in five straight starts and will keep Boston in the game as long as the offense can score.
Top Sportsbooks Odds
Betonline: Astros -126. Red Sox +116
Bovada: Astros -132. Red Sox +110
MyBookie: Astros -128. Red Sox +105
BetUS: Astros -128. Red Sox +118
BetNow: Astros -127. Red Sox +117
Houston Astros vs. Boston Red Sox Odds & Picks
- Moneyline: The BetOnline baseball odds for this matchup have the Astros favored on the moneyline at -126. The Red Sox are +116 moneyline underdogs.
- Total: On the Astros vs Red Sox odds, the run total is over 8.5 (-120) and under 8.5 (+100).
Odds for this Matchup:
Recommended Pick: Under 8.5 runs (+100)
The top pick after looking at the Astros vs Red Sox odds is to take the under in Monday’s series opener. These teams have not met in 2023 and will play seven times in the next ten days. The under has hit in four of the last five starts for both of these pitchers, and that trend should continue on Monday as both teams have strong bullpens behind Paxton and Javier.
- Pick: Under 8.5 +100
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