Houston Astros ace and American League Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander returns to the mound for the first time since Aug. 28 when he faces the Oakland A's in the second game of a four-game series on Friday at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The 39-year-old Verlander (16-3, 1.84 ERA) has missed three starts with a minor calf issue. He leads the majors in ERA and WHIP (0.86) and is tied for second in wins.
Houston is a -385 favorite in the latest Astros vs. A's odds from Caesars Spo rtsbook, while Oakland is a +300 underdog. The over/under for runs scored is 7.5. First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET. The game is one of 15 on the MLB schedule for Friday. (See up-to-date'lines for every game on our MLB odds page.)
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