Keagan Smith gives you a preview, prediction and pick for today\u2019s game between the Houston Astros and Athletics on Saturday\u2019s MLB slate.<\/p>\n
The opening days of the 2026 MLB season have been an absolute blast to watch, and as we head into the second weekend of action on the diamond, there are plenty of games for fans and bettors alike to choose from.<\/p>\n
The Houston Astros (5-3) had a five-game winning streak snapped last night by the Athletics (2-5) in the opening game of this series at Suter Health Park. That 11-4 final score was quite the blowout, but as Ted Lasso says, the best thing a player can do is be a goldfish \u2014 keep a short memory and move on to the next one. On Saturday afternoon, these AL West foes battle again with first pitch at 4:05 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a betting prediction and pick for today\u2019s Astros vs. Athletics matchup courtesy of MLB odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook.<\/p>\n
Astros vs. Athletics prediction, preview<\/p>\n
The Astros opened the season with a pair of ugly losses but looked like their vintage selves prior to last night\u2019s defeat. They swept the Red Sox during that span and have largely been excellent on offense overall, averaging the third-most runs with 6.13 per game. A .797 OPS as a team places them third in the MLB with a .259\/.357\/.440 slash line, also ranking fifth in BABIP (.313) and fourth in ISO (.180). They\u2019ve hit nine homers thus far, but the bigger story is a much less aggressive approach in at-bats than last season as their BB% sits at 11.9%, fifth highest in the sport. Plus, an 0.54 BB\/K sits fourth. To an extent, that\u2019s where the good things end. The pitching staff has struggled mightily \u2014 a 1.35 WHIP isn\u2019t exactly the worst, but a 5.12 ERA and 2.84 HR\/9 are both major issues. However, roughly half of the team\u2019s earned runs have come via Cristian Javier, and with a 32.8% K%, the overall staff has performed better than the stats may suggest.<\/p>\n
As for the Athletics, they secured just their second win of the season with last night\u2019s drubbing. They\u2019ve struggled for the most part but did have a pair of homers and 13 hits as a whole on Friday, an encouraging sign at the plate. However, the A\u2019s remain fourth-to-last in OPS at .614 with a .206\/.266\/.348 slash line. That OBP is the second worst in the MLB in particular. The plate process has looked quite poor with a 31.7% K% and 0.24 BB\/K, both of which are second-to-last among all teams as well. They do have a respectable eight homers with a .142 ISO, and their hard contact rate of 40.5% is second highest in baseball. It just hasn\u2019t been enough to overcome the issues, though. The results for this pitching staff have been a mixed bag as well, producing a 4.28 ERA and 1.48 WHIP that\u2019s a bit higher than what you want to see. A 17.6% K% by the arms is also the third lowest of any franchise.<\/p>\n
RHP Tatsuya Imai makes his second MLB start on Saturday for the Astros. His opening appearance stateside collapsed in the early innings with four earned runs allowed on three hits, four walks and four strikeouts in just 2.2 IP. He struggled with some command issues, but there were also encouraging signs of the Japanese pro who recorded a 1.92 ERA and 0.892 WHIP with 178 strikeouts in the Japan Pacific League last season.<\/p>\n
RHP Luis Morales also had a difficult first start of the season, allowing five earned runs on five hits, three of which were homers. He lasted just 4.1 innings, though he struck out five batters and walked two. He tossed just 48.2 innings last season but recorded a 3.14 ERA and 1.15 WHIP as a rookie, also striking out 43.<\/p>\n
Dodgers vs. Nationals pick, best bet<\/p>\n
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Astros as -115 Moneyline favorites on the road this Saturday. The Athletics are listed at -105 odds to win outright with the run total set at a staggering 10.<\/p>\n