Astros vs Dodgers Prediction
The Houston Astros will continue their eight-game road stretch down the Pacific Coast with a pair of games against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
HISTORY: These two teams met back in June for a two-game set in Houston, with the Dodgers winning the first game 9-2, and the Astros winning the second, 5-2.
Houston
Houston (64-42) enjoyed a fantastic month of July. They’re coming off of a hard-fought series with the San Francisco Giants, where they relinquished the best record in the league after dropping two of three games. With a favorable month ahead, look for Houston to get back to their winning ways.
Lance McCullers Jr. will get the call Tuesday night, and he’s in the midst of a career season. The sixth-year pitcher has posted an 8-2 record, with a career-low 3.23 ERA, and he’s on pace to set a career-high in strikeouts. He’s won his past five road games and tossed eight strikeouts or more in each of his past six starts.
Jake Odorizzi will start the second game of the set for the Astros. He was iffy on the mound during the month of July, but he has won two of his last three road starts. Odorizzi is 4-5 during his first season in Houston, with a 4.30 ERA.
Houston has been an offensive juggernaut this season, ranking first in batting average (.267), on-base percentage (.341), and runs scored (580). Five Astros have 60 RBIs or more, and that’s even with all-star third baseman Alex Bregman on the shelf. Yordan Alvarez leads the team with 67 RBI, while former AL MVP Jose Altuve leads the team in homers (25).
Designated hitter Michael Brantley leads both the team and the American League in batting average (.331). Carlos Correa and Kyle Tucker are both carrying four-game hit streaks. Yuri Gurriel is batting a career-high .324 at the plate.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles’ (64-43) quest to repeat as champions will likely run through their division this season. After taking two of three games from the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers enter this potential World Series preview with some momentum.
The Astros player the Dodgers today.
Never forget that Bellinger is a cry baby. pic.twitter.com/sDMJghVVUn
— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) August 3, 2021
Walker Buehler will get the start Tuesday night. The fourth-year standout from Vandy is having a Cy-Young worthy season with an 11-1 record, and a career-low 2.19 ERA, and 139 strikeouts. He’s won his last three home games and thrown eight or more strikeouts in each of his last three starts.
The newly acquired Max Scherzer is slated to make his first start for Los Angeles on Wednesday. The former Cy-Young winner got off to another good start with the Washington Nationals in his fourteenth season. So far Scherzer has posted an 8-4 record, with 2.76 ERA and 147 strikeouts.
Like their counterpart, the Dodgers rank among the league leaders in the offense. They rank fourth in homers (128), second in total runs (500), and third in on-base percentage (.339). They’ve been hit with the injury bug, but their depth and the bats keep swinging.
Outfielder Mookie Betts returned to the lineup and homered last night in the win over Arizona. Prior to a two-week absence, Betts recorded twelve hits and seven RBIs over a four-game stretch.
The infield duo of Justin Turner and Chris Taylor remains consistent, while the former has recorded a hit in eleven of his last twelve games.
Max Muncy has stepped up in Corey Seager’s absence, and he leads the Dodgers in home runs (22). Will Smith has been consistent behind the plate, while AJ Pollack has recorded multiple hits in six of his last eight games.
Astros vs Dodgers Prediction
The heavyweight battles just keep coming as we enter the vital month of August. This two-game set has all the makings of a split, with each team possessing an offense to blow open either of these contests.
Houston’s lineup is extremely potent, but Walker Buehler has just been sensational this season. We like taking the Dodgers at home in the first game, and with two of the top pitchers in the league on the mound tonite, take the under.
Max Scherzer’s first start could get rocky against an explosive Astros offense, but with Odorizzi on the mound, the Dodgers feel like the safer bet tomorrow.
