The Astros are -145 favourites on the MLB odds for the opener.

Betting Analysis

The Astros have reached the playoffs each of the past seven seasons and that streak looked in major jeopardy not all that long ago under first-year manager Joe Espada, but now the team is playing to expectations finally and should return to the postseason. The Astros’ recent hot streak has been without one-time AL MVP favourite and All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker. He has been out since early June with a shin injury and still not ready. In addition, Houston has been gutted in the rotation injury-wise.

After this four-game set against the Astros, the Blue Jays go to Seattle, San Francisco and Phoenix to close the first half of the season. Toronto lost two of three in Houston from April 1-3 – both Astros wins were blowouts, while the Jays’ victory was 2-1 in the middle game. Yordan Alvarez, always an MVP candidate, had a big series in going 5-for-12 with two homers and three knocked in. Yainer Diaz was 6-for-12 with two solo shots. Tucker was 4-for-10 with two dingers and four RBIs.

Justin Turner was 3-for-8 for the Jays two doubles. The only RBIs and lone homer for the Jays in the series were both courtesy of Davis Schneider. Toronto was 3-1 at Rogers Centre vs. Houston in 2023 and hasn’t lost a series there to the Astros since 2021.

Houston Astros

Houston won for the ninth time in 10 games Sunday but had to endure near three-hour rain delay in the ninth inning of the 10-5, 11-inning victory at the Mets to get to 42-41 – the Astros’ first time over .500 all season. They were 17-8 in June. Star second baseman and future Hall of Famer Jose Altuve was ejected in the seventh after he threw his bat and helmet when umpires called him out on what appeared to be a foul ball. That’s nothing that will get him suspended.

Hard-throwing right-hander Hunter Brown (5-5, 4.37 ERA) is on the mound Monday. The 25-year-old really struggled early this season but might be named AL Pitcher of the Month for June in which he was 4-0 with an AL-best 1.16 ERA and .189 opponents’ batting average that was second in the league. The ERA tied for the lowest ever in the month of June by an Astros starting pitcher with Daryl Kile in June 1993. Brown’s lone career start vs. the Jays was last year at Rogers Centre when he allowed three runs over six innings of a loss.

Toronto Blue Jays

It looked like the Blue Jays would catch a break again Sunday in that Yankees All-Star Juan Soto was going to miss a second straight game … but he was added to the lineup last minute and helped lead an 8-1 New York win that split the four-game set at Rogers Centre. Toronto managed only four hits, all singles. Davis Schneider and Bo Bichette were both out of the starting lineup, although Schneider would end up pinch-hitting for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after he was hit by a pitch on his right hand. Guerrero Jr. stayed in originally but eventually was pulled and X-rays were negative. He might have to miss Monday, though. Toronto finished 11-16 in June.

Rookie righty Yariel Rodriguez (0-2, 5.92 ERA) starts Monday. The 27-year-old has been better at home (3.68 ERA) and in his lone day start (2.45 ERA). Rodriguez last pitched on June 21, allowing five earned over 1.1 innings in Cleveland. He has not faced Houston.

MLB Prediction: Who Will Win Astros vs. Blue Jays?