Free MLB Pick: Astros vs. Guardians Odds
Looking for Houston Astros vs. Cleveland Guardians Free MLB predictions? MLB betting sees the Astros taking on the Guardians on Thursday, August 4th, 2022 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all MLB baseball matchups all season long so stay tuned for more FREE daily MLB predictions like this Astros-Guardians free pick.
2022 MLB Handicapping
(68-38) Houston Astros vs. Cleveland Guardians (54-50)
Date: Thursday, August 4th, 2022
Time: 7:10 PM ET
Venue: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
Projected Pitchers: Justin Verlander (HOU) vs. Zach Plesac (CLE)
MLB Moneyline Odds: Astros -200 / Guardians +165
MLB run line Betting Odds: Astros -1.5 (-115) Guardians +1.5 (-105)
MLB Baseball Gambling Total: O/U: 7.5
The Astros will be in Cleveland to start a series with the Guardians on Thursday evening.
Justin Verlander will be going up against Zach Plesac in this one.
Houston is massive chalk in this one and there is really no surprise there. The total opened at 7.5 and it has stayed right there in most spots.
Houston Astros
The Astros dropped the first two games to the Red Sox earlier this week, but they were able to cap off the series with a 6-1 win on Wednesday afternoon.
In the couple losses to Boston, it was not that these guys did not play well entirely, but they just did not put it all together. That was much different for them in the finale.
The offense was able to break out and they did not waste any time getting the runs scored as they plated four in the first two innings. They tagged on additional two runs in the fifth inning as well.
Newly acquired Astro Trey Mancini homered in his first time starting with Houston. There is no question a guy like him makes their lineup an even more dangerous one.
Jose Altuve, Kyler Tucker, and Alex Bregman all were able to record multi-hit games in their last win. It was a productive day for them on that side of the field.
In terms of the pitching, Jose Urquidy delivered a great performance and he was able to retire the first thirteen batters that he faced on the afternoon.
The right-hander ended up going seven innings while allowing just two hits and zero earned runs. He also punched out ten batters, which is not something he is always known to do. Boston had absolutely no answers for him the entire day and their only run came on a meaningless homer in the 9th.
Houston will have an opportunity to really play well in this upcoming series with Cleveland. It is not one they should take for granted, but they can definitely do some damage. Justin Verlander will be getting the ball in the opener and he has been the best starter in the AL and will likely win the Cy Young.
Cleveland Guardians
The Guardians picked up the 7-4 win on Wednesday and they were able to get the series win over the Diamondbacks.
This group really would have liked to get the sweep against a team that is not very good although they are improved. Still, there was nothing wrong with them taking two of three.
Going into the series, Cleveland knew they had to do some damage against an Arizona pitching staff that has been shaky this year. At the conclusion of the series, they were able to score 16 runs and they allowed 15.
Amed Rosario crushed a three-run home run and Oscar Gonzalez belted a solo shot in their win on Wednesday. As a team, they were able to get to Arizona starter Tommy Henry and they did more damage against their bullpen.
Shane Bieber was able to put forth a strong outing as he went six innings while allowing four hits, two earned runs, and he punched out eight batters. Despite seeing a velocity decrease this season, he has still largely been effective and has once again been the best starter for the Tribe.
Once he left the game, things did not go entirely smoothly for the bullpen as Eli Morgan allowed two earned runs in the last inning of the game. There was never a time where I thought the D’Backs would pull it off, but it did give them a little bit of life.
Things will get a lot tricker for the Guardians when they have to host this Astros team starting on Thursday. One knock on Cleveland this season is they have not been able to do well against teams that are better than them. They will look to partially change that narrative when they face off with one of the best teams in the AL.
Zach Plesac will be opening things up and I do feel he has been better than what his record shows. Look, this guy has not been great this season and there have been plenty of times where he has gotten hit pretty well, but I do not feel 2-9 is totally reflective of the guy he has been.
MLB Baseball Betting Trends:
- The Astros are 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- The over is 5-1 in the Astros’ last 6 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- The Guardians are 0-5 in their last 5 games at home against Houston.
- The over is 5-0 in the Guardians’ last 5 home games.
Houston Astros vs. Cleveland Guardians MLB Prediction:
I would not be surprised if we saw some scoring in this one, but I feel most of it will come from the Astros.
Houston is a very balanced lineup and they are more than capable of getting to Plesac and that unreliable bullpen for the Guardians.
Verlander has been outstanding and there is a good chance that keeps up here. With that said, I do feel it possible Cleveland could scratch off a couple of runs combined between him and their relievers.
I like the over of 7.5 in this spot.
4* Free MLB Betting Pick: Over 7.5
If you’re looking for more MLB picks like Houston Astros vs. Cleveland Guardians matchup, we’ll be providing 4* free MLB plays on the blog all season long, and check out our Experts for guaranteed premium & free MLB Baseball picks!
Register here for a FREE MLB Betting Account Now for Daily Free Picks & More Special Offers!
