The Houston Astros (68-57) and Boston Red Sox (66-59) will battle on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park, with first pitch at 2:10 p.m. ET.

The Astros (-111 on the moneyline) and the Red Sox (-109) will square off in a projected close matchup. The Astros will start Justin Verlander (3-2) versus the Red Sox and Cooper Criswell (5-4).

The Red Sox defeated the Astros 6-5 yesterday, with Zack Kelly getting the win (1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 K) and Jarren Duran leading the way offensively (going 4-for-4 with a double, a home run and two RBI). Kaleb Ort (2.0 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 K) took the loss for the Astros.

Ahead of watching this Astros vs. Red Sox matchup, here’s what you need to know about Wednesday’s action on the diamond, including viewing options.

Houston Astros vs. Boston Red Sox odds and betting lines

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Wednesday at 9:16 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.

  • Favorite: Astros (-111, bet $111 to win $100)
  • Underdog: Red Sox (-109, bet $109 to win $100)
  • Over/under: 8.5

Astros vs. Red Sox: Live streaming info & game time

  • Game Day: Wednesday, August 21, 2024
  • Game Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
  • Stadium: Minute Maid Park
  • TV Channel: NESN
  • Live Stream: Fubo (Watch for free)

Astros stats and trends

Astros betting records

  • The Astros have won 52, or 56.5%, of the 92 games they’ve played as favorites this season.
  • Houston has entered 91 games this season favored by -111 or more and is 51-40 in those contests.
  • The Astros have a 52.6% chance to win this game based on the implied probability of the moneyline.
  • Houston and its opponents have gone over the total this season in 50 of 125 opportunities.
  • The Astros are 61-63-0 ATS in their 124 games with a spread this season.

Justin Verlander (Astros probable starter)

  • Verlander gets the start for the Astros, his 11th of the season. He is 3-2 with a 3.95 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched.
  • His most recent appearance was on Sunday, June 9 against the Los Angeles Angels, when the right-hander threw five innings, surrendering four earned runs while giving up seven hits.
  • In 10 games this season, the 41-year-old has put up a 3.95 ERA and 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings, while giving up a batting average of .242 to his opponents.
  • Verlander is trying to record his sixth quality start of the season.
  • Verlander is trying to secure his ninth start of five or more innings this season in this outing.
  • He has made two appearances this season in which he did not give up an earned run.
  • He will match up with a Red Sox squad that is hitting .261 as a unit (second in MLB). It is also slugging a collective .441 (second in MLB) with 159 total home runs (fifth in MLB).

Astros batting stats

  • The Astros rank 11th in Major League Baseball with 149 home runs.
  • Fueled by 366 extra-base hits, Houston ranks ninth in MLB with a .419 slugging percentage this season.
  • The Astros have a team batting average of .261 this season, which ranks second among MLB teams.
  • Houston has scored the 12th-most runs in the majors this season with 575 (4.6 per game).
  • The Astros have an on-base percentage of .321 this season, which ranks 10th in the league.
  • Houston is one of the most-disciplined teams at the plate this season, ranking third with an average of 7.3 strikeouts per game.

Red Sox stats and trends

Red Sox betting records

  • The Red Sox have been chosen as underdogs in 63 games this year and have walked away with the win 32 times (50.8%) in those games.
  • This season, Boston has come away with a win 31 times in 61 chances when named as an underdog of at least -109 or worse on the moneyline.
  • The Red Sox have an implied victory probability of 52.2% according to the moneyline set by sportsbooks for this matchup.
  • Boston and its opponents have gone over the total this season in 67 of its 124 opportunities.
  • In 124 games with a line this season, the Red Sox have a mark of 56-68-0 against the spread.

Cooper Criswell (Red Sox probable starter)

  • Criswell makes the start for the Red Sox, his 14th of the season. He is 5-4 with a 4.56 ERA and 57 strikeouts through 75 2/3 innings pitched.
  • His most recent appearance was out of the bullpen on Friday when the right-hander tossed 3 1/3 innings against the Baltimore Orioles, surrendering six earned runs while allowing nine hits.
  • The 28-year-old has an ERA of 4.56, with 6.8 strikeouts per nine innings in 19 games this season. Opponents have a .277 batting average against him.
  • Criswell is looking to collect his second quality start of the season.
  • Criswell has put up seven starts this year that he pitched five or more innings.
  • He has had five appearances this season in which he did not surrender an earned run.
  • The opposing Astros offense has the ninth-ranked slugging percentage (.419) and ranks 11th in home runs hit (149) in all of MLB. They have a collective .261 batting average, and are fifth in the league with 1118 total hits and 12th in MLB action scoring 575 runs.

Red Sox batting stats

  • The Red Sox are fifth in MLB action with 159 home runs. They average 1.3 per game.
  • So far this year, Boston’s .441 slugging percentage is second-best in baseball.
  • The Red Sox have the second-best batting average in the majors (.261).
  • Boston scores the fourth-most runs in baseball (624 total, five per game).
  • The Red Sox are fifth in the majors with an on-base percentage of .328.
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