Nothing beats a matchup of exciting young pitchers for a weekday matinee in the MLB. That’s exactly what is on tap tomorrow when the Houston Astros take on the Tampa Bay Rays.
Former top prospect Taj Bradley takes the mound for the Tampa Bay Rays. However, he’s struggled to a 4.76 ERA through 55 career starts. Results are results, but his xERA has been lower than his actual ERA in all three seasons. An adjustment period is expected for a 24-year-old right-hander.
On the Astros’ side, Hunter Brown is toeing the slab. After posting a 4.06 ERA in his first three seasons, the 26-year-old is off to a killer start. His 1.43 ERA is accompanied by the lowest hits per 9 innings mark in all of baseball. His pitching run value is top in the majors according to Baseball Savant. Armed with a superb fastball and an impressive arsenal of breaking balls and off-speed pitches, he’s been mowing through hitters all year.
The Astros enter at -135 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The run total is set at 9. Let’s take a look at the best bets for Wednesday’s game.
Pick and Prediction
Houston Astros First 5 Innings Moneyline (-140)
While I like Taj Bradley’s future, going up against Hunter Brown is a brutal turn. On top of that, the Tampa Bay Rays’ offense isn’t doing him any favors. They’ve been a bottom-ten unit all year.
To be clear, Houston’s offense isn’t much better. They’re feeling the pain of Alex Bregman’s departure. Still, their slight edge with the bat and massive edge on the mound gives me confidence. I wanted the extra juice of the first five moneyline to put extra trust in Brown. Yee haw, Houston.
