Astros vs. Padres - Odds, Picks & Predictions: San Diego Takes Finale

In an NBC game on Sunday night in an interleague series finale, the San Diego Padres host the Houston Astros. You can check out this Astros vs. Padres predictions article to get our picks as well as some key info for the game.

It is the rubber game of this series, as the Astros (60-58) won the opener and the Padres (61-57) won the second game yesterday.

Since winning six in a row, the Astros have cooled off, going 2-3 in their last five games. They are atop the AL West but only a half-game up on the Texas Rangers and four games clear of the Seattle Mariners.

The Padres are 3-3 in their last six games and, while in third place in the NL West and 9.5 games out of the top spot, they are only one game out of the last NL Wild Card.

Canadian sportsbooks have the Padres as the favorite in the finale at -125 with the Astros at +115 and a total of 8.5 runs.

Pretty Even for the Astros 

It would be fair to say the Astros have been pretty even on the season, as they are 30-29 on the road and at home.

Houston won the opener of this series 6-3 behind two home runs from Cam Smith and lost the second game 3-2, where Taylor Trammell hit a home run for the second time in three days in the losing effort.

Betway Sportsbook has Astros DH Yordan Alvarez (.325, 35 home runs, 86 RBIs) as the major betting favorite to win the AL MVP at -1100. He leads the Majors in batting average and home runs and ranks third in RBIs, and while he is batting .391 this month with four RBIs in seven games, he has not gone yard in the last nine games.

Houston ranks a respectable tied-for-9th in runs scored but only 25th in team ERA.

Astros’ Starter for Series Finale 

Cristian Javier (1-2, 6.59 ERA, 1.68 WHIP) gets the nod for the finale and will be making his sixth start and 10th appearance of the season, where he has totaled 27 1/3 innings, striking out 23 and walking 15. His last two appearances have been starts, and the Astros are 1-1, where he gave up three runs in 11 innings.

Padres Getting it Done at Home

The Padres have played a heavy road schedule in the second half of the season and are 7-1 at home since the All-Star break.

In the 3-2 win in Game 2 of this series, San Diego’s Jackson Merrill had a solo home run and two RBIs. He ranks second on the club in home runs (17) and RBIs (58) and has five RBIs over the last five games. Manny Machado (.212, 23 home runs, 70 RBIs) is the team leader in home runs and RBIs and also has five RBIs over the last five games.

On the season San Diego ranks 21st in runs scored and 17th in ERA.

In interleague play this season, the Astros are 14-18, and the Padres are 21-14.

Padres’ Starter for Series Finale 

Randy Vasquez (7-6, 4.19 ERA, 1.42 WHIP) is scheduled to take the mound for this game, and he has not allowed a run in his last two starts, in which he gave up five hits in 10 2/3 innings. In 101 innings this season, he has struck out 65 batters and walked 31. This is his first appearance of the season facing the Astros.

Astros vs. Padres predictions 

Padres ML (-125, Betway)

While Javier has been pretty good in his last two starts, he still has an ERA north of 6.00. Vazquez has not given up a run in his last two starts, only allowing five hits. He will have the better outing in the series finale, and add the fact that the Padres have the better bullpen and you get a San Diego win.

Under 8.5 runs (+100, Betway) 

The total for yesterday’s game went Under, and that is the pick I am leaning towards in this game. Javier does have a less-than-stellar ERA, but his last two appearances have been starts in which he gave up a total of three runs. Vazquez has not given up any runs in either of his last three starts and will have another good outing. Look for this game to be like the last one with not many players crossing the plate, so the Under is the call.