Miami Marlins (62-57) vs Houston Astros (68-51)
August 14, 2023 at 06:40 PM EDT
The Line: Betting Odds: Miami Marlins +130 / Houston Astros -154 — Over/Under: 7.5
The Miami Marlins will host the Houston Astros for game one of their interleague series this Monday from IoanDepot Park.
Astros Preview & Projected Starter
Houston enters at 68-51 after taking two of three from Los Angeles. The Astros couldn’t pull off the sweep on Sunday after scoring just one run, and they’ll look to get back into the win column here in South Beach. Houston offense is scoring 4.76 runs per game, while batting .248, with a .317 on-base percentage. The pitching staff carries a 3.81 ERA, with a 1.27 WHIP.
Framber Valdez (9-7, 3.30 ERA, 144 Ks) will take the mound for Houston. The sixth-year pitcher managed to last seven innings in Baltimore last time out, but he followed up his no-hitter by allowing six runs to the O’s. Valdez has been strong at times this season, but he has allowed four runs or more in four of his last five outings, and he’ll need to come out sharp against a strong Houston team.
Astros Player Trends & Props
- Kyle Tucker produced four runs in the game two victory, and he leads the Astros in hits (126), with strong splits of .297/22/88.
- Alex Bregman collected multiple hits in the final two matchups with LAA, and he’s posting a line of .252/18/75.
- Yordan Alvarez plated runs in two of three games against the Angels, and he’s totaled 21 homers with 64 RBI for the seasons.
- Jose Altuve has multiple hits in four of the last five games, and he’s batting .320 thru 47 games.
- Jeremy Peña has recorded a hit in five of the last six games, and he’s batting .247, with 42 runs batted in.
Houston Astros Team Facts
- The Astros have won each of their last eight games as favorites following a loss.
- The Astros have covered the run line in each of their last seven road games against the Marlins.
- The Astros have lost the first inning in each of their last four road games against National League opponents that held a winning record.
Marlins Preview & Projected Starter
Miami moved to 62-57 after taking two of three from New York. The Marlins bounced back over the weekend to win both contests, and they’ll look to avoid dropping a fourth straight game one here. Miami offense is scoring 4.02 runs per game, while batting .260, with a .321 on-base percentage. The pitching staff carries a 4.10 ERA, with a 1.27 WHIP.
Braxton Garrett (6-3, 4.08 ERA, 125 Ks) will take the mound for Miami. The fourth-year lefty pitched well in Cincy last week, holding the Reds to two runs through six innings to earn his sixth victory of the season. Garrett delivered his second quality start in three outings, and he’ll look to bring that effort against Houston here at home.
Marlins Player Trends & Props
- Luis Arraez produced three runs in the game three win over the Yanks, and he’s leading the majors in batting (.366) and hits (162), with 57 RBI.
- Jazz Chisholm Jr. has recorded a hit in seven of the previous ten games, and he’s posting splits of .246/11/25 through 55 games.
- Jorge Soler has collected a hit in eight of the previous ten games, and he leads Miami in home runs (28) and RBI (62).
- Bryan De La Cruz doubled in two of three games against New York, and he’s second on the team in both categories with fifteen home runs and 58 runs batted in.
Miami Marlins Team Facts
- The Marlins have won four of their last five games as home underdogs against American League opponents following a win.
- The Marlins have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven night games at LoanDepot Park following a win.
Corey’s Free Pick
Two playoff hopefuls will collide down in South Beach this week, and I think the bats make some noise here in game one. Both Framber Valdez and Braxton Garrett are enjoying solid seasons, but they’ve each struggled with containment throughout the year, and the firepower on both sides makes the target attainable here. This should be a back-and-forth interleague series, and I like rolling with the Over for game one.