On the evening of September 28, 2024 at 6:10 PM, the Houston Astros are set to battle the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field under light rain conditions. Leading the charge for the Astros will be pitcher Justin Verlander, whose ERA currently stands at 5.197. Facing him from the Guardians’ side will be Ben Lively, who boasts an ERA of 3.866.

In the 2024 AL West Division, the Astros occupy the fourth spot with a record of 87-73, and a division record of 29-23, placing them first in their division. They come into this game with six wins in their last 10 matches and a recent win streak of one game. The team has performed better at home with 46 wins to 35 losses compared to a slightly slimmer 41-38 record on the road. They have managed to score 736 runs while allowing 646.

On the other hand, the AL Central’s Cleveland Guardians are positioned second with a 92-68 record and also top their division in the division record, sporting a 30-22 win-loss ratio. They, too, have netted six wins in their recent 10-game stretch but are currently on a one-game losing streak. Their home performance this season stands impressive at 50-29, with road games tallying up to 42-39. In terms of scoring, the Guardians have 705 runs to their credit against 617 runs conceded.

Turning to the odds for this game: The point spread is set at 1.5 in favor of the Astros, with an over/under of 8.0 runs for the game. For moneyline bets, the Astros come in at -102, making them slight underdogs compared to the Guardians at -116. Betting enthusiasts might note the close odds reflecting an expected tightly contested matchup.