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The Baltimore Orioles (65-59) and Houston Astros (81-45) meet Friday at Minute Maid Park with 1st pitch in the opener of a 3-game series scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.
Season series: First meeting; the AL foes split 6 games in 2021
The Orioles are coming off a 4-3 homestand. Baltimore bats struggled on the club’s last road trip (Aug. 11-17), notching a .631 OPS against Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays pitching.
The Astros are coming off a 3-game home sweep of the Minnesota Twins. Houston has won 4 in a row, and Astros batting and pitching alike have been dialed in in the club going 10-4 since Aug. 11. Houston owns an .816 OPS and 3.34 ERA over that stretch.
Orioles at Astros projected starters
RHP Kyle Bradish vs. RHP Lance McCullers, Jr.
Bradish (1-5, 6.25 ERA) owns a 1.65 WHIP, 3.4 BB/9 and 9.1 K/9 through 72 IP in 15 starts.
- Has a 4.21 ERA over his last 5 starts
- The 25-year-old rookie notched a 3.66 ERA in 54 career minor league games
McCullers (1-1, 2.45 ERA) has a 1.45 WHIP, 5.7 BB/9 and 9.0 K/9 in 11 IP.
- Making his 3rd start off a long-term stay on the IL (forearm)
- Owns a 3.55 ERA, 1.27 WHIP in 124 career games
Orioles at Astros odds and lines
- Money line: Orioles +160 (bet $100 to win $160) | Astros -200 (bet $200 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Orioles +1.5 (-130) | Astros -1.5 (+105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: +100 | U: -125)
Orioles at Astros picks and predictions
Prediction
Astros 5, Orioles 3
Money line
The on-a-streak, performing-well-in-diverse-facets-of-the-game Astros are a lean up to -185 or so. But some extra juice drowns out the profit margin at the current tag.
STEER CLEAR.
Run line/Against the spread
ASTROS -1.5 (+105) is the most profitable side in this match-up.
Bradish has gone to the edge of his pitch-count leash each of his last 2 starts. He’s had trouble against righty bats, and that’s what Houston piles up most nights.
Over/Under
Mixed signals on both sides of the ball and on both teams PASS.
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