Athletics vs Houston Astros Picks and Prediction for Sunday August 23, 2026

The Athletics will visit the Houston Astros at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas, on Sunday, August 23, 2026. First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET with coverage available on MLB.TV. The Athletics enter at 49-80 overall and 26-40 on the road, while Houston is 65-64 overall and 33-33 at home. The Athletics have lost five straight games, while Houston comes in off a 4-0 win in the series opener. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Bettors looking over Sunday's card can also check out our free MLB picks for more baseball predictions.

Starting Pitchers

The Athletics are expected to start Jack Perkins, who enters at 2-9 with a 6.96 ERA and 1.48 WHIP through 85.1 innings. He has allowed 93 hits while recording 98 strikeouts against 33 walks and has surrendered 16 home runs. Houston counters with Cristian Javier, who is 1-4 with a 6.44 ERA and 1.68 WHIP across 36.1 innings. Javier has allowed 44 hits while striking out 30 and walking 17, with seven home runs allowed. Neither starter brings a strong statistical profile into this matchup, which makes the offensive and bullpen edges especially important.

Athletics Continue to Struggle

The Athletics come into Sunday at 49-80 and have gone 26-40 away from home. Their recent form has been poor, with five consecutive losses. That stretch includes a 4-0 defeat in Houston and three other games in which the Athletics allowed at least six runs.

The Athletics are batting .243 with 557 runs, 1,064 hits and 153 home runs. They own a .317 on-base percentage and .399 slugging percentage. Those offensive numbers are not dramatically worse than Houston's, but the pitching differential has been a major problem throughout the season.

The Athletics carry a 5.50 team ERA and 1.51 WHIP while opponents are batting .271 against them. Those are significant weaknesses, and they become even more concerning when paired with a projected starter carrying a 6.96 ERA. The Athletics have enough power to contribute offensively, but their run-prevention profile gives them very little margin for error.

Astros Have the Better Overall Setup

Houston enters Sunday at 65-64 and sits atop the American League West. The Astros are 33-33 at home and have gone 2-3 over their last five games. Their most recent performance was encouraging, as they shut out the Athletics 4-0 in the series opener.

The Astros are batting .243 with 587 runs, 1,052 hits and 170 home runs. Houston owns a .317 on-base percentage and .411 slugging percentage, giving it a slight power edge over the Athletics. The larger separation comes on the pitching side, where Houston owns a 4.62 ERA and 1.36 WHIP while limiting opponents to a .239 batting average.

Houston has not been dominant on the mound, but its season-long numbers are still clearly better than those of the Athletics. With a better record, stronger run prevention and more home-run power, the Astros have the more complete statistical profile.

Athletics vs Houston Astros Picks and Prediction

Pick: Houston Astros Moneyline

Houston is the preferred side in this matchup. Neither projected starter inspires much confidence, but the Astros have the stronger team-level numbers and are facing an Athletics club that has lost five straight games. Houston owns clear advantages in team ERA, WHIP, opponent batting average and home-run production. Even with an inconsistent starting pitcher, the Astros have more ways to win this game, while the Athletics remain vulnerable whenever their pitching staff is asked to protect a lead.

Pick: Over 9.0

Take the Over if the total is set at 9.0. This is largely a starting-pitching play, as both projected starters enter with ERAs above 6.40. The Athletics' staff owns a 5.50 team ERA, while Houston's pitching has also been inconsistent at 4.62. Both teams have enough power to take advantage of mistakes, and the Athletics have hit 153 home runs while Houston has 170. If either starter struggles early, this game has a clear path toward double-digit scoring.

Side Pick: Houston Astros Moneyline

Total Pick: Over 9.0

Game Preview completed prior to play on Saturday.