July 5 02:07 MLB Toronto vs Houston
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◈ Toronto
Chris Bassitt (7 wins, 6 losses, ERA 3.24) is aiming for his 8th win of the season. Bassitt, who secured a victory with 1 earned run over 6 innings in a home game against the Yankees on the 30th, showcased excellent pitching with a 2-win, 1.95 ERA in June. Although he took a loss with 4 earned runs over 4.1 innings in an away game against Houston on April 4, Bassitt at home should be able to secure 6 innings. Toronto's batting lineup managed to score 2 runs against Ronel Blanco in the previous game, but failing to exploit Houston's bullpen led directly to their defeat. They managed just 5 hits and couldn't score in the last 3 innings, which speaks to the team's current reality. The bullpen, which allowed 7 earned runs over 3.1 innings, has no excuse.
◈ Houston
Framber Valdez (6 wins, 5 losses, ERA 4.11) is aiming for his 7th win of the season. Valdez had a poor outing with 6 earned runs over 4.2 innings in an away game against the Mets on the 30th, showing a tendency to crumble all at once when he starts to falter. He showcased excellent pitching with 7.2 scoreless innings in a home game against Toronto on April 3, and whether he can rebound is crucial. Houston's batting lineup scored 9 runs, including a solo home run by Yordan Alvarez, in the previous game by exploiting Toronto's bullpen, once again demonstrating their characteristic late-game focus. Yordan Alvarez, who packed 3 hits to regain a .300 batting average, is currently showcasing an incredible form with a .480 batting average and 3 home runs over the last 7 games. The bullpen, which covered 3.1 innings with just 1 hit and no earned runs, was near perfect except for Taylor Scott's blown save.
◈ Commentary
In this series, Houston's late-game performance has been overwhelmingly better. For Toronto, it is crucial to dominate in the starting pitching to have a chance at the game. Recently, Bassitt has continued his strong performance in home games, and Toronto has a weakness against left-handed pitchers at home. However, Bassitt's pitching against Houston is somewhat disappointing, and the performance gap will widen as the game progresses. The Houston Astros, superior in late-game performance, are closer to winning.
◈ Recommended Betting
[[Win/Loss]]: Houston Win
[[Handicap]]: -1.5 Houston Win
[[U/O]]: Over 8.5 ▲