LA Dodgers vs Houston Astros Prediction MLB Picks 7/26/24

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros meet Friday in MLB action from Minute Maid Park. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Houston Astros prediction.

Starting Pitching Matchup

The Los Angeles Dodgers will send out Gavin Stone for the start here and Stone is 9-3 with a 3.19 ERA and 79 strikeouts this season. This will be Stone’s first career start against the Astros. Framber Valdez will get the start for the Astros here and is 8-5 with a 3.63 ERA and 88 strikeouts this season. In his career, Valdez is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA and 9 strikeouts against the Dodgers.

Los Angeles Dodgers Recap

The Los Angeles Dodgers come into this series looking to keep the momentum going after back-to-back series wins out of the all-star break thanks to a 6-4 win in Thursday’s series finale against the Giants, following up their series sweep of the Red Sox this time last week.

Dodgers Inching Closer To NL West Title

Shohei Ohtani has 124 hits including a team-high 31 home runs, 27 doubles and 74 RBIs with a .312 batting average while Mookie Betts has 86 hits with 16 doubles, 3 triples, 10 homers and 40 RBIs of his own, but continues to miss time because of an injury. Teoscar Hernandez also has 21 home runs with 67 RBIs and a team-high 118 strikeouts. Betts also has 9 stolen bases while Ohtani has a team-high 24 stolen bases. Freddie Freeman also has 67 RBIs with 26 doubles and Will Smith has added 19 doubles, 15 home runs and 56 RBIs.

Why the Los Angeles Dodgers will win

• The Dodgers have won each of their last eight night games against AL West opponents that held a winning record.
• The Astros have lost nine of their last 10 Friday games as home favorites against National League opponents.
• The Astros have failed to cover the run line in each of their last 10 Friday games as home favorites against National League opponents.
• The Dodgers have covered the run line in nine of their last 10 road games against AL West opponents.
• The Dodgers have won the first inning in each of their last four games against the Astros.

Houston Astros Recap

The Houston Astros will be out to bounce back from a series loss to the Oakland A’s despite an 8-1 win in Wednesday’s series finale, failing to put together back-to-back series wins after taking out the Mariners following the all-star break.

Astros Trying To Pull Away In AL West Chase

Jose Altuve has 126 hits and a .307 batting average with 14 home runs, 46 RBIs and 19 doubles while Yordan Alvarez also has 20 homers with 54 RBIs and 25 doubles. Altuve has the Astros’ team lead with 15 stolen bases so far this season. Jeremy Pena also has 108 hits and a .282 batting average as well as 12 stolen bases of his own this season. Alex Bregman’s added 12 homers and 49 RBIs also.

Why the Houston Astros will win

• The Astros have won each of their last nine games as favorites following a win.
• The Dodgers have lost each of their last four road games against teams that held a winning record.
• The Astros have covered the run line in each of their last nine home games following a win.
• The Dodgers have failed to cover the run line in each of their last five games against the Astros following a win.

Dodgers vs. Astros Prediction

I’m on the Astros here. I like this Dodgers lineup, but I’m still not a huge Gavin Stone fan and I think that if this was a fully healthy rotation, I can’t say that Stone would be a part of it for the Dodgers despite his record this year. The Astros have been on a nice run to surge ahead in the AL West race, and I think Houston keeps it going with a series opening win to kick off what’s probably the series of the weekend.