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San Diego Padres vs. Houston Astros Free Pick

John Glaser-USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres will face the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. ATTSN Southwest will broadcast this interleague matchup and the game gets going at 1:10 p.m. ET.

San Diego Padres vs. Houston Astros Odds

Houston (-125) is favored over San Diego (+105) and Vegas has the Over/Under for this one at 8.5 runs (-120 for the over and +100 for the under). Bettors can also wager on the game’s runline with the odds sitting at +230 for the Padres +1.5 runs and -260 for the Astros -1.5.

The Astros are 7-2 SU and 5-3 ATS. They’ve gained 1.5 units for moneyline bettors and 1.5 units against the spread (ATS). The Padres have gone 2-7 SU this year and are 3-5 ATS. In total, the team’s lost 2.6 units for gamblers taking the moneyline in the season’s early going and 4.3 units ATS.

Astros games have a 3-5 over/under record so far in 2018. San Diego has an over/under record of 4-3-1.

The Padres have lost 1.6 units and are 2-3 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher this year. The over has hit in two of those games, compared to two that’ve hit the under in such games. On the other hand, the Astros have lost 1.5 units and are 2-3 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over’s hit in one of those games, compared to four which went under the total.

Right-hander Tyson Ross (1-0, 4.50 ERA) will get the nod for the visiting Padres. Ross started 10 games last year and finished the season 3-3 overall with a 7.71 ERA and a 1.84 WHIP.

The Stros have tabbed righty Charlie Morton (1-0, 0.00 ERA) as their starter. Morton struck out 163 hitters over 146 innings last year (25 starts). Morton finished the season 14-7 overall with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP.

Houston’s pitching staff has allowed 2.7 runs per game overall this year as a unit. The club’s starting pitching staff has a 2.04 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 2.57 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 10.0 K/9.

The Houston hitters have put up 4.8 runs per outing, including 4.2 per game over their last five. The team has slashed .242/.343/.363 over its last five matchups and is 4-1 SU during that stretch.

Shortstop Carlos Correa and second baseman Jose Altuve have led the Astros’ hitters so far. Correa is hitting .346/.387/.692 with nine hits, nine RBIs and seven runs scored, while Altuve’s line is .412/.462/.471 with 14 hits, three RBIs and seven runs.

Compared to his overall season slash line of .345/.409/.547, Altuve appeared to take a step back when facing right-handed pitching at home last season, producing .296/.358/.412 across 260 plate appearances.

In the other dugout, San Diego’s pitchers have allowed 4.2 runs per game and its starters own a 4.37 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 6.08 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 2.17, along with a K-per-9 of 9.64.

The Padres offense has slashed .230/.300/.385 on its way to 3.2 runs scored per game this season, including over the team’s last five contests (2-3 SU).

San Diego’s hitters have been led by third baseman Christian Villanueva and first baseman Eric Hosmer. Villanueva is slashing .286/.348/.810 with six hits, six RBIs and four runs scored, while Hosmer (.314/.400/.486) is up to 11 hits, two RBIs and three runs scored.

San Diego Padres at Houston Astros Free Prediction

Predictions: SU Winner – Astros, ATS Winner – Padres, O/U – OVER

Notes

Betting Notes

The Padres and Astros did not face each other last season.

The Astros have won six of their last seven games SU

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Written by GMS Previews

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