The Baltimore Orioles (49-27) travel to face off against the Houston Astros (37-40) on Sunday, June 23rd. This game will be played at Minute Maid Park in Houston and televised on None. The Astros are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Orioles are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Astros. First pitch is set for 1:10 CT.
Orioles vs Astros
Houston cruised to an easy 5-1 win over the Orioles in the most recent game of this series. The Astros had a huge 3rd inning, scoring all three of their runs. As for the Orioles, they scored their only run in the 5th. Heading into the game, the Astros were the slight underdogs at +125.
Ronel Blanco started for the Astros and picked up the win, going seven innings and giving up just one run. He finished the game with four strikeouts but issued three walks. On the other side, Corbin Burnes got the start for the Orioles and took the loss, giving up four earned runs in seven innings of work.
Chas McCormick was the difference for the Astros’ offense, as he went 3/3 with two homers and five RBIs. Yordan Alvarez also had a good game at the plate, going 1/4 with a homer.
Baltimore is 49-27 overall this season, and they are 2nd in the AL East, 1.5 games behind the Yankees for the division lead. The Orioles have dropped two straight games, and this came after winning four in a row. In divisional games, the Orioles are 19-7 this year.
At home, the Orioles have gone 25-14, and they have been a solid team on the road, going 24-13. As the underdog, the Orioles have gone 10-5 this year, and they have won two straight as the underdog overall. Baltimore’s overall series record is 17-4-3, and they have won four straight series.
When the Orioles are on the road, they have been a good bet to cover the run line, going 24-13. They have a run differential of +1.8 runs per game on the road, and their average run differential in wins is +4.0. They have covered the run line in two straight games as an underdog.
Despite having a combined run average of 9.0 runs per game, the Baltimore Orioles have seen their games go over the over/under line of 8.5 runs in 14 of their 22 games this season when the line has been set at 8.5 runs. Overall, the Orioles have a 38-28 over/under record this season, and their games have averaged 8 runs per game this season.
Albert Suárez Gets The Start For The Orioles
Right-hander Albert Suárez gets the start for the Orioles today as he faces the Astros on the road. So far this season, he has made eight starts and 15 total appearances. Suárez has a record of 3-1 and an ERA of 2.05. In his 48 1/3 innings of work, he has allowed just one homer and is averaging 7.45 strikeouts per nine innings. Suárez’s last outing came on June 18th, where he took the loss, giving up three earned runs in 3 2/3 innings of work. Before that, he had won two straight starts.
Orioles Offense Breakdown
As a team, the Orioles are the top-scoring team in the league, averaging 5.3 runs per game. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5.6 runs per contest. Baltimore also leads the league in home runs and has the top slugging percentage in the league. So far, they have been very good at avoiding strikeouts, but they are near the bottom of the league in walks.
Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson have been the Orioles’ top power threats this season, with Rutschman’s 14 homers ranking 3rd on the team and Henderson’s 24 homers being the 2nd most in the league. Anthony Santander is also a significant power threat, with 20 homers this season. However, he is batting just .234 for the season. Over his last nine games, Santander has gone 11/38 with six homers.
The Astros have won four straight games, and they are 37-40 overall this season. Currently, they trail the Mariners by seven games in the AL West. So far, they have gone 15-12 in divisional games. Houston has taken two straight games in their series vs. the Orioles.
At home, the Astros are 21-19 this season, and they are 16-21 on the road. As the favorite, the Astros are 28-32 this year and 9-8 as the underdog. Houston’s series record is 12-11-1, and they have won two straight series.
When it comes to the run line, the Astros have been a good bet at home this season, going 19-21. They have won three straight games against the run line at home and are 25-35 overall when favored. Their average run margin in winning games is 3.9, compared to -3.3 in losing games.
When the Astros play at home, the over/under line for their games is typically set at 9 runs. However, today’s line is set at 8.5 runs, which is lower than their season average. The over/under record for their games this season is 27-47, and when the line is set at 8.5 runs, the record is 7-13. The combined run average for their games this season is 8.8 runs per game.
Framber Valdez Gets The Start For The Astros
Framber Valdez will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing against the White Sox, as he gets the start for the Astros today. In that June 18th start, he took the loss, going six innings and giving up two earned runs. Looking back over his last three starts, Valdez has allowed at least one homer in each outing. Valdez has a record of 5-5 this season and an ERA of 3.91. Opponents are batting .244 off the left-hander this year. So far, he has made seven quality starts and is averaging 6.84 strikeouts per nine innings.
Astros Offense Breakdown
Heading into today’s game, the Astros are one of the league’s top home run-hitting teams, as they are 4th in the league in homers and are batting .260 as a team, which is the 2nd best mark in the MLB. Houston is also the league’s top team in terms of fewest strikeouts per game, averaging just six per contest. Overall, they are 12th in the league at 4.5 runs per game.
Yordan Alvarez has been one of the league’s top power hitters this season, as his 16 homers is 9th in the MLB. He also leads the Astros with 41 RBIs. Kyle Tucker is right behind him in homers, with 19, and has a strong on-base percentage of .395. Tucker has also been hot of late, going 13/42 in his last 10 games.
Orioles vs Astros Prediction
Our prediction for this Orioles vs. Astros matchup is to take the Astros on the money line at -125. We have the Astros winning this one by a final score of 6-5. At -125, the payout is a little lower than we would like, but we still see this as a good payout.
Looking at the starting pitchers, our projections have Albert Suarez finishing with six strikeouts compared to Framber Valdez with six as well. If you’re looking for a player prop bet, you could look at the over/under on strikeouts for either of these pitchers.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:June 24, 2024 Astros, Orioles