Astros vs Yankees Preview and Prediction – Friday August 8th, 2025

Houston Astros

@

New York Yankees

As the New York Yankees host the Houston Astros on August 8, 2025, both teams are looking to solidify their postseason aspirations. The Yankees sit at 61-54 this season, performing above average, while the Astros hold a slight edge with a record of 64-51, indicating a solid campaign. This matchup is particularly crucial for the Yankees as they hope to gain ground against a strong opponent.

In their last outing, the Yankees delivered a complete game shutout, showcasing their pitching depth and determination. However, they will face a different challenge as they go against Hunter Brown, who has been stellar this season with an impressive 2.47 ERA and a rank of 16th among starting pitchers in MLB. In contrast, Cam Schlitter, projected to start for New York, has struggled this year, holding a below-average rank of 137th and a concerning 5.96 FIP, suggesting he may be in for a tough night against a potent Astros lineup.

Houston’s offense ranks 12th overall but excels in batting average, sitting 2nd in MLB. Meanwhile, the Yankees boast the 2nd best offense, fueled by their incredible power, leading the league in home runs. This power dynamic could play a crucial role as both teams look to capitalize on the opposing pitcher’s weaknesses.

Despite Brown’s dominance, the Yankees’ high-risk, high-reward offense may find opportunities to exploit his average projections in hits allowed (4.4) and walks (2.3), which could lead to scoring chances. Betting markets currently favor the Astros, but the Yankees have a chance to flip the script in this tightly contested matchup. With a game total set at 8.0 runs, expect an exciting showdown at Yankee Stadium tonight.

Houston Astros Insights

• Hunter Brown – Over/Under 6.5 Strikeouts (-135/+105)
  Hunter Brown’s 96.2-mph fastball velocity this year ranks in the 91st percentile out of all starters.
  Explain: Velocity is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs.
• Victor Caratini – Over/Under Total Bases
  Victor Caratini has negatively regressed with his Barrel% recently; his 8.8% seasonal rate has lowered to 0% in the last week.
  Explain: Barrel% measures how often a player hits the ball at the optimal exit velocity and launch angle and is a terrific measure of underlying power.
• Positioned 8th-steepest in the game this year, Houston Astros bats collectively have posted a 14.8° launch angle on their highest exit velocity balls (an advanced stat to evaluate 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.

New York Yankees Insights

• Cam Schlittler – Over/Under 15.5 Pitching Outs (+110/-140)
  Cameron Schlittler has been given a shorter leash than the average pitcher this year, throwing 7.5 fewer adjusted pitches-per-game than league average.
  Explain: Pitchers with a shorter leash are more likely to get pulled earlier in games and record fewer outs.
• Trent Grisham – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-135/+105)
  Trent Grisham has seen a notable gain in his exit velocity in recent games; just compare his 97.8-mph average over the last week to his seasonal 90.7-mph figure.
  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.
• New York Yankees – 2H Moneyline
  The New York Yankees bullpen projects as the 4th-best in the majors, per the leading projection system (THE BAT).
  Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a strong bullpen sneakily creates a tougher matchup for the opposing offense and suppresses a game’s runs.

Betting Trends

• Over/Under 8.0 Game Total (-110/-110)
  The New York Yankees have hit the Game Total Under in 29 of their last 47 games at home (+11.37 Units / 22% ROI)
• Houston Astros – Over/Under 4.5 Team Total (+110/-140)
  The Houston Astros have hit the Team Total Under in 68 of their last 115 games (+16.65 Units / 12% ROI)
• Christian Walker – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-180/+140)
  Christian Walker has hit the Total Bases Over in 16 of his last 20 away games (+13.55 Units / 55% ROI)