Athletics Score Victory
Saturday’s game saw an Oakland Athletics team that capitalized off mistakes by starting pitcher Framber Valdez. His wild pitch and a passed ball in the fourth inning led to two runs that helped Oakland win.
However, it was also the Athletics bullpen that helped them silence the bats of the Houston Astros. Will that victory shift the MLB spreads and MLB lines in this last game of the Astros vs. Athletics series?
Check out the latest MLB picks, stats from the season, and MLB odds for the Astros vs Athletics. We’ve plenty of MLB picks & predictions.
Will Astros Offense Recover?
The Houston Astros offense couldn’t put anything together against the Oakland Athletics bullpen. Even facing one of the worst Athletics bullpen arms in Lou Trivino (1-6 6.66 ERA) didn’t help them recover after losing the lead in the fourth inning.
Offensive stars like Yordan Álvarez and Alex Bregman were shut down completely by the Athletics pitching staff. Alvarez, who came into the game with a six-game hitting streak and .311 batting average, left the game without a hit as he went 0-4. With him being the anchor of the Astros’ offense, they suffer when he’s not producing.
While they didn’t do well in yesterday’s game, they might not have much luck in today’s game if they can’t score against that weak Athletics bullpen. Alvarez must lead the charge for Houston in today’s game.
Athletics Need Another Strong Start From Cole Irvin
The Oakland Athletics are hoping to get another quality start out of Cole Irvin (3-6, 3.35 ERA). His last start against the Toronto Blue Jay saw him go eight innings and allow only one run and four hits. If he can have another performance like that, it would put the Athletics in the driver’s seat.
However, his offense needs to back him up if they want the win today. The only player Saturdau that had any real production was catcher Sean Murphy. He scored once while getting two hits in four at-bats.
The Athletics’ offense rarely shines in games, which has been the story of the team over the years. It’s always been the pitching that helps them win games. That’s why it’s critical for Irvin to have a solid start here and have his bullpen finish the job when called on.
Astros vs Athletics Head-to-Head
This MLB AL West matchup has seen these teams face each other five times so far in 2022. The Houston Astros swept the Oakland Athletics in the first series meeting.
The current series is split at 1-1 after the Athletics squeaked out a win in yesterday’s game. That makes the Astros the current leader of the 2022 season series at 4-1.
Astros vs Athletics Game Information
- Game: Astros (55-29) vs Athletics (29-57)
- Location: RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland, CA
- Day/Time: Sunday, July 10, 4:07 p.m. ET
- Live Stream: MLB TV
Astros vs Athletics Betting Lines
Houston Astros -1½ -115 -175 8 -120o 4½ -120o 4½ -110u
J. Odorizzi -R
Oakland Athletics +1½ -105 +155 8 Evu 3½ +110o 3½ -140u
C. Irvin -L
Astros vs Athletics Prediction
The Oakland Athletics have some interesting Las Vegas odds on the run line, as they are -105 while getting +1½ runs.
It’s the pitching matchup that matters here. For the Astros, they have Jake Odorizzi (3-2 4.04 ERA) starting. He had a great May that saw him post a 0.54 ERA in three starts. But he would face an injury and be sent to the minors for some rehab starts.
In his first return game, he allowed five runs in four innings. With him not doing good since coming back and Irvin coming off an impressive performance, it gives the Athletics the edge. But if gamblers who are betting online and making MLB picks and parlays feel Oakland is too much of a risk on the moneyline, they should take the A’s and the +1½ runs.
