Friday's contest at Minute Maid Park has the Houston Astros (56-52) matching up with the Tampa Bay Rays (55-53) at 8:10 PM ET (on August 2). Our computer prediction projects a close 6-5 victory for the Astros, so expect a tight matchup. This contest's pitching matchup is set, as the Astros will send Yusei Kikuchi (4-9) to the mound, while Shane Baz (0-1) will answer the bell for the Rays. Watch MLB, other live sports and more on Fubo! Use our link to sign up for a free trial. Astros vs. Rays Game Info & Odds When: Friday, August 2, 2024 at 8:10 PM ET Where: Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas How to Watch on TV: SCHN Place your bets on any MLB matchup at BetMGM, and sign up with our link for a first-time deposit bonus! Astros vs. Rays Score Prediction Our pick for this contest is Astros 6, Rays 5. Total Prediction for Astros vs. Rays Total Prediction: Over 8 runs Astros Performance Insights In eight games over the last 10 matchups when favored by sportsbooks, the Astros have a record of 4-4. Houston and its opponents have combined to hit the over six times in its last 10 games with a total. This season, the Astros have been favored 77 times and won 42, or 54.5%, of those games. Houston has entered 31 games this season favored by -159 or more and is 23-8 in those contests. Bookmakers have implied with the moneyline set for this matchup that the Astros have a 61.4% chance to win. Houston ranks 12th in the majors with 502 total runs scored this season. The Astros have a 4.03 team ERA that ranks 15th across all MLB pitching staffs. Rays Performance Insights The Rays have played as the underdog in four of their past 10 games and have gone 3-1 in those contests. In its last 10 games with an over/under, Tampa Bay and its opponents have combined to eclipse the total six times. The Rays have been victorious in 20, or 48.8%, of the 41 contests they have been chosen as underdogs in this season. Tampa Bay has a win-loss record of 4-7 when favored by 135 or worse by bookmakers this year. Sportsbooks have implied with the moneyline set for this matchup that the Rays have a 42.6% chance of pulling out a win. Tampa Bay is the fourth-lowest scoring team in baseball averaging four runs per game (432 total). The Rays have the 18th-ranked ERA (4.08) in the majors this season. Put your picks to the test and bet with BetMGM! Astros Schedule Rays Schedule Rep your team with officially licensed MLB gear! Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, and much more. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21 to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER. dataskrive is a Tribune-Review freelancer. You can contact dataskrive at info@triblive.com. Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free. Get Ad-Free > Sign Up for NotificationsStay up-to-date on important news from TribLIVE