Red Sox vs. Astros prediction: Picks, odds, live stream, TV channel, start time on Wednesday, August 3

The Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros square off on Wednesday with first pitch set for 2:10 p.m. EST. The game takes place at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas and will only be available on local TV or through an MLB.tv subscription. Jose Urquidi will be on the mound for the home team while the Red Sox will send Rich Hill to the bump in his return from the IL.

The Sox have been a bit of a disaster recently. They've won three straight which masks how poorly they've been, but in their last 30 games, they've come away on top in just 11 of them. They made some moves at the trade deadline to acquire some everyday players like Eric Hosmer, so that could give them a boost moving forward, though they still sit in the basement of the AL East. Hill is returning from a stint on the 15-day IL and just officially got the nod a few hours before first pitch. The veteran lefty hasn't pitched in over a month and hasn't taken on the Astros at all this year. On the year he's allowed 33 earned runs in 70.2 innings.

Houston has lost the first two games of this series, but overall has been great recently, winning 19 of their last 30 games. The Astros remain atop the AL West quite comfortably as well, but for some reason the Sox have had their number, winning four of the five games between them this season. Urquidi has been solid for the 'Stros this season and earned a win in his lone start against Boston in 2022, throwing five innings and allowing four earned runs. He's given up just 12 earned runs in his last 46.2 innings.

Red Sox vs. Astros

Pitchers: Rich Hill vs. Jose Urquidi
First pitch: 2:10 p.m. EST
Red Sox local broadcast: NESN
Astros local broadcast: AT&T SportsNet Southwest
Live stream: MLB.tv (subscription)

Odds, picks & predictions

Run Line: Astros -1.5
Run total: 8.5
Moneyline odds: Red Sox +170, Astros -200

Moneyline pick: Astros -200

Sure, the Sox have won the first couple of games of this series and have seemed to own the Astros this season for some reason. Still, Urquidi was on the hill for that only Houston win in 2022 and Hill's return from injury means he's probably a bit rusty.

Player prop pick: Rich Hill under 3.5 strikeouts (-140)

Hill hasn't pitched in a while and he probably won't be a full-go on Wednesday afternoon. Even if he is, he'll have a tough time finding Ks in an Astros lineup that strikes out the third-fewest in all of baseball.

  
Read Full Article >