Houston Astros vs Athletics Picks and Prediction for Thursday, September 24, 2026
The Houston Astros and Athletics meet Thursday at Sutter Health Park for the first game of their final regular-season series, with the opening pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET and the game televised on MLB.TV. Houston is 78-79, 39-37 away and tied with Texas for first in the AL West. The Astros beat Seattle 7-0 on Tuesday but have lost three of their last four. The Athletics are 62-95, 30-46 at home and fourth in the AL West, 16 games behind Houston. The Athletics are eliminated from playoff contention but beat the Angels 9-7 on Tuesday. Here’s our breakdown of the matchup and free MLB picks.
Houston Astros Fighting for the AL West Lead
Houston snapped a three-game losing streak with Tuesday’s 7-0 win over Seattle and is 2-3 across its last five results. Yordan Alvarez has been the biggest bat in the lineup, hitting .314 with a .431 on-base percentage and .601 slugging percentage. Alvarez has 41 home runs and 102 RBI in 153 games. Isaac Paredes is batting .262 with 23 homers and 91 RBI, while Christian Walker has recorded 26 home runs and 83 RBI. Jeremy Pena is hitting .275 with 20 homers and 10 stolen bases.
The Astros rank 22nd in MLB with a .240 batting average and have scored 695 runs with 212 home runs, a .314 on-base percentage and .411 slugging percentage. Houston ranks 24th in pitching with a 4.50 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and .237 opponent average. The staff has recorded 1,368 strikeouts while allowing 201 home runs in 1,392.2 innings. Houston ranks seventh in fielding with 70 errors and a .987 fielding percentage and owns a 39-37 road record.
Injuries: Jeremy Pena (questionable), Brice Matthews (questionable), Daulton Varsho (questionable), Cristian Javier (questionable), Mike Burrows (out).
Athletics Trying to Build on Tuesday’s Win
The Athletics ended a four-game losing streak with Tuesday’s 9-7 victory over the Angels and are 1-4 across their last five results. Shea Langeliers is batting .267 with a .332 on-base percentage and .486 slugging percentage, leading the club with 23 home runs. Tyler Soderstrom has 19 homers and 56 RBI, while Zack Gelof has hit 20 home runs with 52 RBI and 14 stolen bases. Lawrence Butler has 17 homers and 60 RBI, and Henry Bolte is batting .272 with 21 stolen bases.
The Athletics rank 14th in MLB with a .245 batting average and have scored 679 runs with 190 home runs, a .317 on-base percentage and .403 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff ranks 29th with a 5.45 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, and .272 opponent average. Athletics pitchers have surrendered 232 home runs and 1,472 hits in 1,385 innings. The club ranks 12th in fielding with 75 errors and a .986 fielding percentage and has gone 30-46 at home.
Injuries: J.T. Ginn (out), Max Muncy (out), Brent Rooker (out), Nick Kurtz (out), Gage Jump (out).
Pitching Matchup
Houston Astros - Peter Lambert
Peter Lambert is 8-10 with a 3.70 ERA and 1.23 WHIP across 151 innings. He has allowed 128 hits and 15 home runs with 147 strikeouts and 57 walks.
Athletics - Undecided
The Athletics had not yet announced their starting pitcher at the time this preview was written.
Houston Astros vs Athletics Game Pick
- Houston Astros
Houston is the pick as the Astros begin their final series tied for first place in the AL West. Lambert has a 3.70 ERA and 1.23 WHIP, and Houston is coming off a 7-0 shutout of Seattle. The Athletics have lost four of their last five and own a 5.45 team ERA with a .272 opponent average. Houston also has 212 home runs, led by Alvarez’s 41, against an Athletics staff that has allowed an MLB-high 232 homers.
Houston Astros vs Athletics Over/Under Pick
- Over
The play is over with the Athletics carrying a 5.45 ERA and 1.51 WHIP into the series opener. Athletics pitchers have allowed 838 earned runs, 1,472 hits and 232 home runs, while Houston has hit 212 homers with a .411 slugging percentage. The Astros scored seven runs Tuesday, and the Athletics scored nine in their latest victory. Oakland’s offense has also produced 190 home runs, creating scoring potential against a Houston staff with a 4.50 ERA and 201 home runs allowed.