The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers square off on Wednesday with first pitch set for 2:05 p.m. EST. The game takes place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas and will only be available on local TV or through an MLB.tv subscription. The Astros will send Luis Garcia to the bump, while the home team’s starting hurler is still yet to be announced.
The Astros come into this game in firm control of first place in the AL West, with the Rangers in second place, but nearly 10 games behind their in-state rival. The Astros hold a 7-3 record over Texas this season, though they’ve split the first two games of this series. Garcia has struggled lately which could be good for Texas. He hasn’t earned a win in any of his last five starts, with his last W coming over a month ago against the Minnesota Twins. The righty has allowed 13 earned runs in 26.1 innings pitched. He has not faced Texas this season.
Texas has been decent this year, posting an overall record just below .500 as they head into Wednesday’s contest. They struggle more at home than they have on the road, with just 14 wins at Globe Life Field as opposed to 17 losses.
Astros vs. Rangers
Pitchers: Luis Garcia vs. TBD
First pitch: 2:05 p.m. EST
Astros local broadcast: AT&T SportsNet Southwest
Rangers local broadcast: Bally Sports Southwest
Live stream: MLB.tv (subscription)
Odds, picks & predictions
Point spread: Astros -1.5
Run total: 8.5
Moneyline odds: Astros -155, Rangers +135
Moneyline pick: Astros -155
It’s clear that the Rangers are scrambling to fill a slot with just any arm they can, still having not named a starting pitcher just hours ahead of the game. The Astros 7-3 record this season against Texas is just another solid reason to pick Houston in this one.
Player prop pick: Luis Garcia over 5.5 strikeouts (-120)
Garcia has yet to face the Rangers this season, but he’s been getting solid strikeout numbers in 2022. He has 41 strikeouts in his last 38 innings pitched and the Rangers are a team that goes down on strikes a decent amount, averaging over 8 times per game and 9.33 strikeouts over their last three games.
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