The Houston Astros and Athletics will square off on Tuesday night in Sacramento. This is a game with playoff implications for the visitors. The Astros (84-72) are fighting to stay in the AL Wild Card picture, while the Athletics (73-83) are playing for pride and to spoil the postseason plans of a rival. Here, I take a closer look at this AL West matchup and bring you my Astros vs Athletics prediction for this huge game on Tuesday.
Our Astros vs Athletics Pick
- Pick: Athletics Moneyline
- Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Houston Astros vs Athletics
- Date & Time: Tuesday, September 23, 2025, 10:05 p.m. ET
- Starting Pitchers: Cristian Javier (Astros) vs. Jeffrey Springs (Athletics)
- Stadium: Sutter Health Park, Sacramento, CA
- Broadcast: NBCS-CA and SCHN
Key Storylines
- Pitching matchup: Cristian Javier takes the mound for Houston in this game. His season has had ups and downs in the limited amount of time he’s pitched since returning from injury. He has a 4.45 ERA and is vulnerable to hard contact at times. The Athletics’ Jeffrey Springs has had a fairly average season. His ERA of 4.17 suggests he gives up runs enough to keep this game within reach for Houston. This contest may come down to bullpen performance as both pitchers could struggle somewhat.
- Key Players:
- The Athletics’ Brent Rooker is his team’s top power bat. Other hitters like Tyler Soderstrom, Nick Kurtz, and Jacob Wilson are also contributing offensively. Their offense is middle of the pack in some categories but has a high upside potential.
- Houston’s Jose Altuve leads his team in hits and home runs. Jeremy Peña has a strong batting average and will try to get on base on multiple occasions tonight. However, they’re missing Yordan Álvarez, who injured his ankle and is out indefinitely. That absence reduces their offensive firepower.
- Recent team streaks:
- The Astros have lost three straight games recently. They were just swept by the Seattle Mariners and are now tied for the final American League Wild Card spot with just a handful of games left to play in the season.
- The Athletics have lost two games in a row and will try to turn things around while playing for pride late in the season.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop Type | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Kurtz (ATH) | Home runs | Over 0.5 |
| Tyler Soderstrom (ATH) | Total bases | Over 1.5 |
| Cristian Javier (HOU) | Strikeouts | Under 4.5 |
Betting Trends & H2H
- The Athletics lead the season series 6-4 against the Astros this year.
- The A’s have won five straight games against Houston going into this contest.
- Houston has a 38-37 record on the road for the season.
- The A’s are 33-42 this season in their temporary home of Sacramento.
Astros vs Athletics Model Projection
- Score Projection: Athletics 6 – Astros 5
- Win Probability: Athletics 51%, Astros 49%
Final Thoughts
This game is going to be close despite the differences in reputations for these clubs. We should see the A’s put up a fight throughout this game and I think that the Athletics are the better bet here. Houston’s recent struggles make them tough to back on the road and I think the A’s will put even more pressure on them by beating Houston tonight.
