3 Best Bets for Tuesday's Lone Star Series Matchup: Rangers at Astros (7/25/23)

As the third Lone Star Series of 2023, the Texas Rangers (59-42) are at the Houston Astros (57-44) on Tuesday for Game 2 of a three-game set.

This year, the intrastate rivalry has provided added intensity given the two sides' respective spots atop the AL West. Remember: Texas leads Houston in the divisional standings by a mere two games.

On Monday, the Rangers and Astros combined to produce 19 total runs, capped by a thrilling ninth-inning walk-off single from Houston catcher Yainer Diaz. Thankfully, we were on over 8.5 runs and the Astros moneyline in last night's contest.

To keep a strong week going, let us survey the markets at FanDuel Sportsbook to find the three best bets for Tuesday's Lone Star matchup from Minute Maid Park.

All MLB odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Over 9 Runs (-104)

Before attempting to choose a side in this contest, I'd like to highlight that tonight's starting pitchers will be dueling rookies; Yerry Rodriguez will go for Texas while J.P. France is on the bump for the defending champion Astros. Making his 13th career appearance, this will be Rodriguez's first MLB start.

Even before considering the myriad of sluggers throughout both lineups, the rookies on the mound have been very hittable. France (4.76) and Rodriguez (3.83) are both yielding SIERAs above 3.80. Additionally, France has a dismal strikeout rate of only 17.1%, while Rodriguez is allowing too much loud contact (37.1% Statcast hard-hit rate ).

Am I predicting another 19 combined runs tonight? No, I am not that bold, but I do think these offenses are in a position to collaborate for more than nine runs again.

Slashing middle infielders Corey Seager and Jose Altuve are nursing injuries, but there is still plenty of firepower in the batter's box: last night's hero Diaz, Alex Bregman, Chas McCormick, Jose Abreu, Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim and Josh Jung . Jung has the second-best AL Rookie of the Year odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Given that the Astros and Rangers are both within MLB's top 10 in home run production, I like there to be plenty of scoring against inexperienced starting pitchers.

Rangers Moneyline (+134)

Similar to last night, this game has a solid chance to go either way, so I will let the numbers dictate my selection on the moneyline. Showing a lucrative price of +134, I am going with the Rangers to bounce back on Tuesday (Astros moneyline is -158).

Overall, the Rangers are 3-5 versus in-state rival Houston this year. Still, they won two of three games at Minute Maid Park back in April. Also, we should not ignore that Texas is currently boasting the highest run differential (+150) in the Majors.

Transparently, the presence of rookie starting pitchers for both sides makes for murky waters when trying to create an authentic prediction. But given the trends in this divisional series, I think the Rangers stand in a favorable shot to steal one back.

According to numberFire's game projections, Texas has the slight edge over Houston tonight, showing a 51.9% win probability.

J.P. France Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+110)

I acknowledge that the Rangers struck out a staggering 11 times on Monday (6 of which came against Houston starter Jon Gray), but I think Texas will be improved in that department against the rookie France.

As mentioned, France is striking out only 17.1% of the batters he's faced in 2023. Additionally, in his past six starts, he has logged more than four strikeouts only once.

With pitcher strikeout props, there is always the chance that the opposing lineup can force a team into the bullpen prematurely. Considering Texas' slew of sluggers, a short outing for France is certainly within the realm of possibility -- let's hope for that to complement a play on under 4.5 Ks.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.