Houston Astros vs Athletics Picks and Prediction for Friday September 25 2026

The Houston Astros visit the Athletics at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California, on Friday, September 25, 2026. First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 PM ET with coverage on MLB.TV. Houston enters the matchup at 78-80 overall and 39-38 on the road, while the Athletics are 63-95 overall and 31-46 at home. The Astros are tied with Texas atop the AL West despite sitting two games below .500, while the Athletics are 15 games back at the bottom of the division. Houston has dropped four of its last five games, while the Athletics have won two straight. The Athletics also hold a 5-4 advantage in the season series entering the final four-game set between the clubs. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks for more MLB predictions throughout the season.

Starting Pitchers

Houston is scheduled to start Hayden Wesneski, who enters at 5-2 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.15 WHIP through 54.0 innings. Wesneski has allowed only 43 hits and four home runs while striking out 41 and walking 19. The Athletics counter with Jacob Lopez, who is 6-5 with a 5.68 ERA and 1.53 WHIP through 117.1 innings. Lopez has surrendered 124 hits and 22 home runs while recording 108 strikeouts against 56 walks. The statistical advantage belongs clearly to Houston in the starting-pitching matchup. Wesneski has allowed fewer than one hit per inning and has done an excellent job limiting home-run damage, while Lopez's combination of a high ERA, elevated WHIP and 22 home runs allowed creates considerably more opportunity for the opposing offense.

Astros Look to Reverse Their Late-Season Slide

Houston comes into Sacramento needing to find some momentum after losing four of its last five games. The Astros dropped three straight at home against Atlanta before splitting their next two games in Seattle, including a 6-5 loss in 10 innings on Wednesday. Houston did produce seven runs in its lone victory during that five-game stretch and scored five in the latest loss, so the offense has shown signs of improvement after managing only seven total runs during the three-game losing streak against Atlanta. At 39-38 away from home, the Astros have also been slightly more competitive on the road than their overall 78-80 record might suggest.

The season-long offensive numbers give Houston a somewhat unusual profile. The Astros are batting .240 with a .314 on-base percentage and .412 slugging percentage while producing 700 runs, 1,277 hits and 213 home runs. The batting average is below that of the Athletics, but Houston owns a noticeable advantage in power with 22 more home runs and the higher slugging percentage. On the pitching side, Houston owns a 4.50 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with opponents batting .237. The staff has recorded 1,375 strikeouts against 638 walks.

Houston's biggest advantage in this matchup comes from combining its power with the favorable starting-pitching matchup. The Astros have demonstrated significantly more home-run production than the Athletics this season, and they now face a starter who has surrendered 22 home runs in 117.1 innings. Houston's weakness has been consistency. A club with a negative overall record and four losses in its last five cannot simply be treated as a dominant favorite against an opponent that has already won five of the first nine meetings. Still, the starting pitching provides Houston with a strong opportunity to control this game early.

Athletics Try to Keep Their Offense Rolling

The Athletics enter Friday's matchup with consecutive victories after taking the final two games of their series against Los Angeles. They scored nine runs in a 9-7 victory on Tuesday before following it with a 7-3 win Wednesday. That represents a significant offensive turnaround after the Athletics scored only nine combined runs while being swept in three games at Cleveland. Their recent 2-3 record therefore looks better when viewed through the progression of those five games, with the offense generating 16 runs across the two most recent victories.

For the season, the Athletics are batting .246 with a .318 on-base percentage and .404 slugging percentage. They have scored 686 runs on 1,315 hits while hitting 191 home runs. Those offensive numbers compare reasonably well with Houston, especially in batting average and on-base percentage. The major separation comes on the mound. Athletics pitching owns a 5.43 ERA and 1.50 WHIP, with opponents batting .271. The staff has issued 617 walks while recording 1,316 strikeouts. Houston's 4.50 ERA is nearly a full run better, while its .237 opponent batting average is substantially lower.

The Athletics have nevertheless shown that they can cause problems for Houston. They lead the season series 5-4 and have already produced wins of 11-4, 12-10, 5-0, 4-3 and 7-6 against the Astros. That history makes this more complicated than simply comparing the clubs' overall records. The concern Friday is whether the Athletics can overcome both their season-long pitching problems and the disadvantage in the starting matchup. Their recent offensive surge gives them upset potential, but allowing opponents to hit .271 while carrying a 5.43 team ERA leaves very little margin for error.

Houston Astros vs Athletics Picks and Prediction

Pick: Houston Astros Moneyline

Houston is the side to back despite its recent struggles. The Athletics' 5-4 advantage in the season series deserves respect, and Houston's 1-4 record over its last five prevents this from being an automatic play based on the standings. The difference is Friday's pitching matchup. Houston brings a starter with a 3.50 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and only four home runs allowed in 54 innings against an Athletics starter carrying a 5.68 ERA and 1.53 WHIP with 22 home runs surrendered. That becomes particularly important against a Houston offense that has already hit 213 homers. Houston also owns the stronger overall pitching numbers with a 4.50 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and .237 opponent average compared with Oakland's 5.43 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and .271 opponent average. Back the Astros to capitalize on the pitching disparity and end their recent slide.

Pick: Over 8.0 or Lower

Without an official total available, the over becomes attractive at 8.0 or lower. The Athletics have scored 16 runs over their last two games, while Houston has produced 12 over its last two. More importantly, this season series has already generated several offensive games, including 11-4, 12-10, 13-2 and 7-6 results. Houston's power also creates significant scoring potential against a starter who has allowed 22 home runs, while the Astros' 4.50 team ERA leaves enough vulnerability for the Athletics to contribute. If the market pushes the total to 9.0 or higher, the value becomes much less appealing, but eight runs provides enough room to attack the over.

Final Picks: Houston Astros Moneyline and Over 8.0 or Lower

This preview was completed on Thursday, September 24, 2026. Starting pitchers, betting lines and other game information are subject to change before the game begins.