Astros vs. A’s: Picks, predictions, how to watch Wednesday’s game

The Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics square off on Wednesday with first pitch set for 3:37 p.m. ET. The game takes place at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California and will be available to watch on ESPN+. Cristian Javier (6-5, 3.13 ERA) takes the mound for Houston while Oakland will start Cole Irvin (5-7, 3.08 ERA).

The Astros (64-34) came into this series rolling with five straight wins in the second half of the season. That momentum evaporated the second they got into Oakland as the A’s have won each of the first two games of this series. Javier looks to give the team a much-needed jump start. He has lost two of his last three starts but is coming off a no-decision. He pitched five innings and gave up two hits, and one earned run against the New York Yankees.

The Athletics (37-63) sit in fifth place in the AL West and have gone 5-2 in their seven games in the second half of the season. This team is showing heart even with the impending trade deadline where their best pieces could be shipped out for future assets. The southpaw Irvin will be starting his 18th game of the season. He is coming off back-to-back wins, the most recent being against the Texas Rangers. Irvin pitched seven innings and gave up three hits and two earned runs while striking out eight in the winning effort.

Astros vs. A’s

Pitchers: Cristian Javier vs. Cole Irvin
First pitch: 3:37 p.m. ET
Astros local broadcast: AT&T SportsNet Southwest
A’s local broadcast: NBC Sports California
Live stream: WatchESPN, ESPN app with an ESPN+ subscription

Odds, picks & predictions

Run Line: Astros -1.5
Run total: 7
Moneyline odds: Astros -205, Athletics +175

Moneyline pick: Astros -205

Houston finds itself a decent-sized favorite even after dropping the series' first two games. Javier pitched against the A’s on May 31, and Houston picked up the win from his strong start. The A’s have been good the first two games of this series, but the Astros should be able to see their lineup bounceback while getting off their skid.

Player prop pick: Yordan Alvarez over 0.5 hits (-245)

Alvarez is hitting .307 this season with 28 home runs and 66 RBI. He was one player who put forth some offensive production in Tuesday’s loss, going 2-3 with a double and an RBI. Alvarez has picked up at least one hit in three of his last five games and is 6-12 in his career against Irvin.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600 (ONT), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY; 19+ ONT). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/ONT/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions. DraftKings operates pursuant to an Operating Agreement with iGaming Ontario. Please play responsibly.