The Arizona Diamondbacks are currently in control of the second Wild Card spot in the National League and look to take a step in securing their playoff positioning on Friday as they open up their final home series of the season with the Houston Astros.
Houston Astros vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (-125, 8.5)
The ace of the Diamondbacks, Zac Gallen, gets the start on the mound and has been a completely different pitcher at home, registering a 2.45 ERA with 0.65 home runs and 1.6 walks per nine innings allowed in Arizona compared to a 4.45 road ERA with 1.3 home runs and 2.5 walks per nine innings.
Gallen will duel against Astros starting pitcher JP France, who enters having had at least three runs scored on him in four of his last six starts with an overall 3.83 ERA, but the advanced numbers indicate his recent struggles might be a sign of things to come.
With France registering 6.8 strikeouts and 3.1 walks per nine innings and allowing 1.3 home runs per nine innings, he has a fielding independent that is much higher than his ERA at 4.66, but is backed by the American League’s top scoring offense since the start of June.
The Astros are averaging 5.8 runs per game with over 1.6 home runs per game since August 13, both lead the American League in that span while Arizona is tied with the Colorado Rockies for fewest home runs in the National League in that time, but are still 14th in the league with 4.6 runs per game in that span with thanking sixth in the National League in on-base percentage in that time.
In the month of September, the Diamondbacks are third in the league in bullpen pitching with a 2.29 ERA while the Astros are sixth with a 3.09 ERA in the bullpen, and it will be Gallen coupled with a bullpen that is performing at its best that will guide the Diamondbacks to a big win on Friday.
The Play: Diamondbacks -125
