- This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Tampa Bay (51-33) at Houston (43-46)
- When: Jul 3 2026, 8:15 PM
- Where: Daikin Park, Houston
- TV: Apple TV+
Tampa Bay vs Houston MLB Preview & Pick
Moneyline: Tampa Bay -112
Runline: Tampa Bay -1.5 (+150)
Total: 9.0
The Rays roll into Houston as slight -112 moneyline favorites with a +150 run line on -1.5, while the total checks in at 9.0. Apparently, Bovada oddsmakers looked at Tampa’s winning streak and said, “Yeah… let’s ride that train until somebody remembers how to stop it.”
Tampa Bay Rays: Bats Stay Loud
The Rays are hotter than a parking lot in Las Vegas during July, carrying an eight-game winning streak into Houston after sweeping Kansas City. Junior Caminero finally stopped hitting home runs every five minutes, ending his franchise-tying streak at six straight games. Don’t worry, the baseballs still weren’t safe because Cedric Mullins launched his third homer in as many games and now has seven since June 3.
Kevin Cash has watched Mullins rediscover his timing, and the results have been loud enough to make opposing pitchers consider early retirement.
Nick Martinez gets the ball with a sparkling 7-2 record and 2.66 ERA. He’s also 6-1 over his last 11 starts with a 2.92 ERA, making him one of the hottest arms in the American League. If he keeps dealing like this, Houston hitters may need GPS just to find first base.
Houston Astros: Hoping For Better
Houston hopes Spencer Arrighetti can erase the memory of his last outing, where Detroit treated him like a batting-practice machine. Eight earned runs, three homers, and five walks in only three innings… let’s just say he’d probably like a refund on that afternoon.
The Astros will also welcome Cristian Javier back from the injured list, although he’ll begin in the bullpen. Manager Joe Espada is taking the “everyone grab a glove and hope for the best” approach while searching for consistency.
Houston certainly has enough talent to compete, but recent pitching struggles have made life much harder than expected.
LVSB Final Score Prediction
The Rays are playing with swagger, the bats are producing, and Martinez enters in outstanding form. Houston has enough offense to make things interesting, but Tampa owns the momentum heading into this series.
Final Score: Rays 6, Astros 4
Lean: Tampa Bay Rays ML (-112)
Total: Over 9.0 (+100)
- MLB Baseball Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
- Get real-time live scores & latest betting odds here!
