The Houston Astros have quietly won five games in a row and 10 of their last 13 to build a 4.5-game lead in the American League West behind one of the hottest bats no one is talking about — Jeremy Pena.
Tonight, they’ll visit an Athletics team that is trying to rediscover its early-season success following a sweep of the Royals. But my Astros vs. Athletics predictions and MLB picks break down why slowing down Pena will be a tall task for a ragtag bullpen.
Astros vs A's prediction
My Astros vs A's best bet: Jeremy Pena Over 1.5 total bases (-114 at Caesars)
It’s not really a surprise that the Houston Astros have started to play better baseball now that Jeremy Pena has found his rhythm at the plate.
The former World Series MVP got off to a slow start this season but is hitting a ridiculous .402 with a 1.028 OPS over his last 20 games. That includes 10 extra-base hits and just 17 strikeouts and I like the Astros star shortstop to keep swinging a hot stick tonight.
Pena and the Astros open a series with the Athletics, who are trying to pull themselves out of an awful slump where they went 7-24 over a 31-game stretch. But they’ve won six of their last 10, including a three-game sweep of the Royals.
Unfortunately, pitching depth has been a problem, with a bullpen day looming for the A’s and Mitch Spence potentially lined up for a bulk role.
The A’s rank dead last in the majors in bullpen ERA and 28th in xFIP. And if not for Mason Miller, their strikeout rate would likely be much lower as well.
This has me looking at Pena’s total bases. Set at 1.5, that’s a number he’s gone Over 12 times during this 20-game hot streak. And with a matchup against the A’s bullpen in the hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park, I like him to go Over once again.
Caesars QuickPick: Our Astros vs A's same-game parlay (SGP)
Jeremy Pena Over 1.5 total bases
Jose Altuve 2+ hits
Astros -1.5
Pena’s not the only hot Astros hitter right now. Jose Altuve is hitting .355 with a .992 OPS over his last eight games, with five multi-hit efforts over that span. Altuve also has solid numbers against this A’s pitching staff with a .257 xBA against current A’s pitchers.
He and Pena will fuel a multi-run win for the Astros tonight, so add 2+ hits for Altuve and an Astros win on the run line to this same-game parlay.
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Astros vs A's odds
Astros vs A's live odds
Astros vs A's opening odds
- Moneyline: Houston -155 | A's +130
- Run line: Houston -1.5 (+105) | A's +1.5 (-125)
- Over/Under: Over 10.5 | Under 10.5
Odds courtesy of Caesars.
Astros vs A's trend
The Astros have hit the Run Line in 35 of their last 62 games for +10.67 Units and a 14% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. A's.
How to watch Astros vs A's and game info
| Location | Sutter Health Park, Sacramento, CA |
| Date | Monday, 6-16-2025 |
| First pitch | 10:05 p.m. ET |
| TV | Space City Home Network, NBC Sports California |
| Astros starting pitcher | Ryan Gusto (4-3, 4.56 ERA) |
| A's starting pitcher | TBD |
Astros vs A's latest injuries
Astros vs A's weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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