Astros vs Rangers Odds: Not Too Late for Astros to Bid for a Division Title

• The Astros are 17 games above .500 with a 77-60 record
• The Rangers are 15 games above .500 with a 75-60 record
• Houston leads the H2H matchup this season over Texas 6-4

On Monday afternoon, the Houston Astros make the short drive to Arlington to face the Texas Rangers. This is the final three-game series between the two teams in the regular season. This series is pivotal as both teams are at the top of the AL West, and trying to pull away from their opponent along with the Mariners. The first pitch on Labor Day is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET. 

Astros vs Rangers Odds

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. See different MLB betting sites for more betting opportunities! 

Astros vs Rangers Picks

Houston is coming off a three-game series against the Yankees which they lost. Before that, the Astros swept the Red Sox in Boston, but the team has been very average as of late. 

Houston will be starting J.P. France on the mound to open the series. France has had a rough couple of games of late and needs to clear his head prior to facing a tremendous Rangers offense. On August 24th, France gave up 11 hits and 10 runs in just 2.1 innings against the Red Sox in a 17-1 loss. 

The Rangers are also coming off a series loss to the Twins. While the Texas bullpen is imploding, the offense has still been scoring runs which is one positive. 

Texas is bringing left-hander Andrew Heaney to the mound. Heaney has been on fire since the beginning of August, only giving up six runs in five starts. His last game was against the Mets, where he threw for 5.1 innings and didn’t allow an earned run with seven strikeouts. 

This final series between these two should be intense as the AL West is one of the most competitive divisions in baseball. Even though Houston has more talent, we’re going with Heaney and the Rangers on the moneyline. France has been slightly inconsistent as of late, and we don’t believe he will figure it out against Texas.

• OUR PICK: Rangers ML (-108)

Astros vs Rangers Predictions

It’s been an up-and-down season all year for the Astros, but it’s not too late for them to make a bid for a division title. France has made a case to be one of Houston’s top pitchers until recently. 

He has a 10-5 record and a 3.49 ERA over 116 innings of work. If he can reel himself back into his early season form, he would be a huge help not only in this game but in the postseason. 

Heaney has come up big for his club all season. Texas has had a hard time finding consistency in their bullpen, but Heaney is doing his part in making the relievers' lives easier. 

Heaney is 9-6 with a 4.16 ERA and 134 strikeouts through 127.2 innings. If the pitcher can keep up his current pace, he will be able to get the Rangers the win in the first game of this series. 

Houston Astros Preview

Houston is currently one game back in the AL West to the Mariners. The division is still up for grabs, and while the Astros aren’t in the lead quite yet, it probably won’t be long. 

The Astros have shown signs of life over the last few weeks but continue losing games that are winnable. Kyle Tucker has been the name to know in the dugout this season, as he leads the team in almost every batting category. Tucker has a .291 average, 26 home runs, and 98 RBIs this season. 

Houston has featured an above-average bullpen this season. They’ve given up the 12th least runs, the seventh most strikeouts, and the 12th most home runs with 168.

The Astros have the eighth-best team batting average in the league at .257, they’re fifth in the league in RBIs with 667, and fifth in the league in hits with 1208. 

Texas Rangers Preview

The Rangers sit just two games back in the AL West. The Texas offense has been where the team has excelled all season. The Rangers are second in the league in hits, seventh in home runs, and third in RBIs. 

The Rangers record doesn’t show that the pitching has been very intense. They are 26th in saves with just 26 and 23rd in strikeouts. It might be too late for them to fix their pitching issues, but their offense has carried them all season, and this won’t stop. 

How to Watch Astros vs Rangers 

• What: Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers 
• Where: Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas
• When: September 4th @ 4:05 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: MLB.TV and ESPN+