Free MLB Pick: Astros vs. Athletics Odds
Looking for Houston Astros vs. Oakland Athletics Free MLB predictions? MLB betting sees the Astros taking on the Athletics on Friday, July 8th, 2022 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. 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 Athletics free pick.
2022 MLB Handicapping
(54-28) Houston Astros vs. Oakland Athletics (28-56)
Date: Friday, July 8th, 2022
Time: 9:40 PM ET
Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA.
Projected Pitchers: TBD
MLB Moneyline Odds: OFF
MLB run line Betting Odds: OFF
MLB Baseball Gambling Total: OFF
Houston Astros
Houston wrapped up its seventh consecutive series win with a 5–2 victory over Kansas City in Thursday’s rubber match.
Kansas City scored once in the second and once in the fourth before the Astros struck three times in the fifth.
Jose Altuve tied the game at two with his 17th home run of the year. Yordan Álvarez followed with number 26 of his own to give Houston the lead.
The Astros tacked two insurance runs on in the eighth to make the save a little easier for Ryan Pressly.
Justin Verlander gave up seven hits and two walks in six innings but worked out of trouble and allowed just one run to score. He leads the American League with 11 wins.
Luis Garcia followed Verlander in the rotation the last time through but he pitched earlier in the series against Kansas City. Manager Dusty Baker has not announced a starter yet for game one in Oakland.
Oakland Athletics
Oakland took two out of three at home against Toronto this week, despite losing its last game on Wednesday, 2–1.
The Athletics got Thursday off at home so they will enter this series well-rested and playing a little better in the last week.
They have played .500 baseball over their last six and all three losses were by exactly one run each time.
Even the losses before that were tight, including a stretch of three in a row against the Yankees and Mariners by a combined five runs.
Manager Mark Kotsay has not announced a starter for Friday either but Paul Blackburn followed James Kapriellian in the rotation the last time.
He didn’t factor into the decision in that one, a 2–1 loss to the Mariners, but pitched well enough to win.
Blackburn got an out in the seventh before being lifted. His final line read four hits, one walk, and five strikeouts with no runs allowed.
He gave up five hits (two home runs) and four runs in 6.2 innings against the Astros in his only start against them this season back on May 30.
MLB Baseball Betting Trends:
Houston Astros vs. Oakland Athletics MLB Prediction:
The Athletics won’t roll over in this series.
They are not about to get on a long winning streak but they are undoubtedly playing more competitive baseball against some of the better teams in the AL.
So look for the A’s to play well this weekend in a spot where one win in three will probably leave Oakland backers up overall.
Blackburn won’t necessarily fool many of the Astros hitters but he’s just good enough to pitch well enough to give his team a shot.
If Oakland can get into Houston’s bullpen by the fifth or the sixth, it will have a chance to scrape together just enough runs to win this game.
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