Houston Astros
Athletics
(-110/-110)-110
As the Oakland Athletics prepare to face the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park on September 23, 2025, both teams enter this matchup looking to bounce back from disappointing losses. The Athletics suffered a crushing defeat in their last outing, falling 11-0, while the Astros dropped their game 7-3. This series opener will be crucial, especially given that it features two American League West rivals.
The Athletics currently sit at 73-83, reflecting a below-average season, while the Astros boast an 84-72 record, positioning them as the more competitive team at this stage. They will send Cristian Javier to the mound, a right-handed pitcher who, despite some struggles—evidenced by his 2-3 record and an ERA of 4.45—showed potential in his last start, allowing only 2 earned runs over 6 innings.
On the other side, Oakland’s Jeffrey Springs, a left-hander, has a 10-11 record and an ERA of 4.17. While his numbers suggest he has been lucky this year, his 4.71 FIP is a warning sign that he may struggle against a powerful lineup. The Athletics’ offense ranks as the 7th best in MLB, showcasing their ability to generate runs, despite their overall struggles this season.
This matchup features an intriguing narrative: while the projections indicate a balanced contest, the Athletics’ high-ranking offensive performance could pose a significant challenge for Javier. Given their ability to connect for home runs—ranking 6th in MLB—the Athletics may exploit Javier’s fly-ball tendency. With a game total set at a lofty 10.0 runs, bettors should be prepared for a high-scoring affair.
Houston Astros Insights
- Houston Astros – 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline (-105)Cristian Javier was in good form in his last game started and allowed 2 ER.Explain: A pitcher who was strong in his last outing may be sharp once again in his next outing.
- Jake Meyers – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+130/-165)Jake Meyers has been cold recently, with his seasonal exit velocity of 88.2-mph dropping to 79.4-mph in the past 7 days.Explain: Hitting the ball hard increases the chances of either a home run or the ball landing in fair territory for a hit before a fielder can get to it.
- Isaac Paredes – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+120/-155)Isaac Paredes pulls many of his flyballs (47% — 100th percentile) but may find it hard to clear the game’s 6th-deepest LF fences today.Explain: This player’s skill set does not match up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.
Athletics Insights
- Athletics – 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline (-125)Jeffrey Springs is an extreme flyball pitcher (36.8% FB% via the leading projection system, THE BAT) and has the misfortune of pitching in the #10 HR venue in the league in this matchup.Explain: This pitcher’s skill set does not match up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.
- Brent Rooker – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+110/-140)Typically, bats like Brent Rooker who hit a lot of flyballs are generally less successful when facing pitchers who also induce a lot of flyballs such as Cristian Javier.Explain: This mostly has to do with the way the hitter’s swing plane interacts with the pitch trajectory, and it can create diminished performance across all categories and hidden value few are considering.
- Positioned highest in the game this year, Athletics hitters collectively have recorded a 16.9° launch angle on their hardest-hit balls (an advanced metric to measure power skills).Explain: If you hit the ball hard but straight at the ground, it doesn’t do you any good. A player that is skilled at lifting his hardest hit balls into the air stands the best chance of turning them into extra-base hits or home runs.
Betting Trends
- Athletics – Run Line +1.0 (-140)The Athletics have hit the Run Line in 54 of their last 90 games (+11.80 Units / 10% ROI)
- Houston Astros – Over/Under 4.5 Team Total (-135/+105)The Houston Astros have hit the Team Total Under in 88 of their last 152 games (+15.30 Units / 8% ROI)
- Carlos Correa – Over/Under 2.5 Hits Runs and RBIs (+125/-160)Carlos Correa has hit the Hits Runs and RBIs Over in 18 of his last 25 away games (+9.35 Units / 30% ROI)