Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays Analysis & Best Bet

The Tampa Bay Rays (28-27) meet with the Houston Astros (30-25) to kick off a three-game series on Thursday, May 29 at 8:10 PM ET at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. This matchup is expected to be close, with MyBookie showing the Astros as favorites with a moneyline at -115.

Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview

The Rays are 4-1 over their last five games and are coming off a 5-0 shutout win over the Minnesota Twins. During this five game period, they have shown excellent offense as well as consistently good defense.

Shane Baz (4-3) will be starting on the mound, who comes in with a 4.94 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP through 54.2 innings pitched. The Rays have averaged a 3.65 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP, so Baz will need to be on his best foot forward.

Tampa Bay has a batting average at .244, which is on par with what the Astros offer. Their defense has allowed a .236 batting average from opposing teams, which shows they at least are slightly ahead of their opponents when it comes to scoring opportunities.

The Rays have averaged 6.00 runs a game over their last five, and have held opposing teams to 1.75 runs in this stretch. This is an excellent margin of error, assuming they can continue these types of numbers.

Houston Astros Betting Preview

The Astros have won their last four games and are 4-1 in their last five. They are coming off a 5-3 outing against the Oakland Athletics and have scored five or more runs in the last three games.

Ryan Gusto (3-2) is getting the start on the mound, with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP through 35.1 innings pitched. The Astros put up an ERA of 3.38 and a WHIP at 1.15. Gusto must have a good start in order for their defense to get off on the right track.

Houston is getting a .256 batting average each game and is holding their opponents to .217. This differential is appealing in comparison to the Rays, showing they are more likely to have better scoring opportunities than their opponents.

Over the last five games, the Astros have averaged 5.20 runs and allowed 2.60 runs from their opponents. This is another example of a great margin of safety, but only if both sides are clicking.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie offers the best Tampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros betting odds, which currently favor the Astros. According to market insights, the Astros have a 61.4 percent chance of winning.

The Rays have gone 10-8 on the road, while the Astros are 20-10 at home. The Astros are more appealing on paper with stronger numbers on offense and have been a great team in front of their home crowd. Look for the Astros to find success at home.

Final Pick: Houston Astros -115