Baltimore Orioles vs Houston Astros Picks and Predictions August 24th 2024

From Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, we have the Astros and Orioles facing off in an AL matchup. First pitch for this one is set for 4:05 PM ET, and the Astros are the slight money line favorite, with their odds sitting at -129 compared to the Orioles at +109. The over/under line is currently at 8.5 runs.

Albert Suarez is starting for the Orioles, and they are 2nd in the AL East with an overall record of 75-55. As for the Astros, they are 1st in the AL West with a record of 69-59. Saturday’s forecast in Baltimore calls for cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 70’s.

Left-hander Framber Valdez gets the start for the Astros today as he faces the Orioles on the road. He has made 22 starts this season and has a record of 13-5 with a 3.20 ERA. Valdez has won each of his last three starts, most recently picking up the win vs. the White Sox on August 18th. In that outing, he went seven innings and didn’t give up a run, finishing with nine strikeouts. Valdez has one complete game this year and 13 quality starts. His ERA at home is 3.50, compared to 3.91 on the road.

Yainer Diaz has been red hot at the plate for the Astros of late, going 12/37 in his last nine games with three homers. For the season, he is batting .303 with 15 home runs and 71 RBIs, which leads the team. Yordan Alvarez has also been a big power threat for the Astros, as his 25 homers are the best mark on the team and 13th in the league. He is also batting .306.

As a team, the Astros are 2nd in the league in batting average at .261 and are averaging 4.6 runs per game. Houston’s team on-base percentage is 8th in the league, and they are also near the top of the league in slugging percentage and OPS. Overall, the Astros are the 11th ranked home run hitting team in the league.

Albert Suárez gets the start for the Orioles today and comes in with a record of 6-4 and an ERA of 3.18. So far this year, he has made 17 starts, and opponents are batting .243. In his 25 appearances, Suárez has turned in four quality starts. Looking back at his last outing, Suárez was excellent, going six innings and not giving up a run. He got the win in that outing. Before that, he had gone three straight outings without giving up an earned run but finished with a no-decision in two of those starts. Suárez has not lost since July 15th.

Anthony Santander and Gunnar Henderson have been the Orioles’ top power threats this season, as Santander’s 38 homers are 3rd in the league, and Henderson is 6th in the league with 33 long balls. Santander is also 9th in the league with 86 RBIs. However, Santander has struggled a bit of late, hitting just .200 over his last five games. Gunnar Henderson has gone 6/21 in his last six games.

Overall, the Orioles have the league’s top offense in terms of home runs and are 3rd in the league in runs scored (5 runs per game). They are also the league’s top slugging team and have the best isolated power mark in the league. Their team batting average of .253 is 6th in the league.

The Baltimore Orioles are searching for a spark to reignite their season, and Friday night’s thrilling comeback victory against the Houston Astros might be just what they needed. As the teams prepare for the third game of their four-game series on Saturday, the Orioles are hopeful that this win could mark a crucial turning point.

Santander’s Heroics Fuel Orioles’ Comeback

Anthony Santander stepped up in a big way for the Orioles on Friday, delivering a dramatic eighth-inning grand slam that powered Baltimore to a 7-5 victory. Santander’s 38th home run of the season came at a critical time, lifting a team that had been struggling through a tough stretch. This victory, only their third in the last eight games, was a much-needed morale boost.

The emotional impact of the win was clear, with players and coaches feeling a renewed sense of determination. “That is a reminder of who we are as a team,” Santander said. “We always stay focused the whole game; we compete for 27 outs.”

Astros Look to Bounce Back with Valdez on the Mound

Houston will look to left-hander Framber Valdez (13-5, 3.20 ERA) to get them back on track. Valdez has been in exceptional form, winning his last five starts and posting an 8-0 record with a 2.39 ERA over his last 10 outings. His run of success began with a strong performance against the Orioles on June 23, where he held Baltimore to one run over seven innings.

Suarez Seeks Redemption for Orioles

The Orioles will counter with right-hander Albert Suarez (6-4, 3.18 ERA), who has been stellar in his recent starts, not allowing a run over his last 17 2/3 innings. Despite this strong stretch, Suarez will be looking to redeem himself after his last outing against the Astros, where he gave up five runs on 10 hits in just five innings.

Suarez’s ability to maintain his recent form will be crucial as the Orioles aim to build on Friday’s momentum and continue their push in the tightly contested AL East.

Injury Concerns and Roster Moves

Baltimore might face a setback with center fielder Cedric Mullins, who exited Friday’s game due to quad tightness. His availability is still uncertain, though manager Hyde is hopeful it’s a day-to-day issue.

In terms of roster moves, the Orioles reinstated left-handed reliever Keegan Akin from paternity leave while optioning Nick Vespi back to Triple-A Norfolk.

What’s Next

With the series tied at one win apiece, Saturday’s game is pivotal for both teams. The Orioles are looking to build on their clutch victory, while the Astros are eager to bounce back with their ace on the mound. For Baltimore, this could be the moment that sparks a late-season resurgence, while Houston will be determined to regain control of the series.

Our lean in this Astros vs. Orioles matchup is to take the Astros to pick up the win. We also have this as the 4th highest-scoring game of the day and the 2nd highest combined hits projection. For an over/under pick, we would lean towards the over. Looking at the starters for this matchup, Framber Valdez has the 5th best odds to work deep into the game, while Albert Suárez has the 10th worst strikeout projection among today’s starters.