Rays vs Astros Picks and Prediction – 5/31/2025

On Friday, the Tampa Bay Rays (27-27) face off against the Houston Astros (29-25) at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. Keep up to date with all the MLB action, with our expert MLB picks.

Houston comes into this matchup on a three-game winning streak and has won four of their last five games prior to their series finale against Sacramento and series opener against Tampa Bay. In their impressive 11-1 win over Sacramento, Jose Altuve delivered a standout performance for the Astros, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate. He launched two home runs, crossed the plate three times, and drove in three runs, making him a key contributor in the victory. This season, Isaac Paredes has been Houston’s main power threat, leading the team with 11 home runs. Altuve ranks second in the home run race for the Astros, having hit eight so far. Paredes also tops the team in runs batted in, collecting 31 RBIs to this point. In terms of batting average, Jake Meyers is currently setting the pace for Houston, hitting .299 and providing consistent production with the bat. Over their last five games, the Astros have been red-hot offensively, averaging six runs per contest. Thanks to this recent surge, they are now just 1.5 games behind the division-leading Mariners in the AL West standings. As the season progresses, Houston will aim to maintain their offensive momentum and continue putting pressure on their division rivals. Overall this year, the Astros are averaging 4.2 runs per game.

Tampa Bay enters this game on a one-game losing streak, but has won four of their last five games prior to their series finale against Minnesota and series opener against Houston. During their recent 4-2 defeat against the Minnesota Twins, Rays starting pitcher Taj Bradley delivered a solid performance, throwing seven innings while giving up five hits, two earned runs, and just one walk, along with collecting six strikeouts. Offensively this season, Brandon Lowe has been Tampa Bay’s primary power source, leading the team with 10 home runs. Right behind him is Junior Caminero, who has contributed 9 home runs, making him the team’s second-leading slugger. When looking at run production, Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe, and Jonathan Aranda are all tied at the top, each having driven in 29 runs so far this year. Jonathan Aranda also holds the team’s best batting average, hitting an impressive .309 over the season. The Rays have shown improvement at the plate recently, averaging 5.6 runs per game across their last five contests. Despite these efforts, they currently trail the Yankees by seven games in the highly competitive AL East. As the Rays get ready to face the formidable Houston Astros on the road, their offense appears to be heating up. On the season as a whole, Tampa Bay averages 4.1 runs per game, which they’ll hope to improve as they attempt to climb up the divisional standings.

Houston’s offense has been red-hot in recent games, piling up runs and showing plenty of power at the plate. The Rays, meanwhile, have also been swinging the bats well, making this upcoming matchup in Houston one to watch. Earlier this season, Tampa Bay won two out of three games against the Astros, so they’ll be aiming to keep up that success on the road. On the mound for the Rays will be Ryan Pepiot, who has a 3-5 record and a solid 3.55 ERA so far this year. The Astros will counter with Ryan Gusto, who comes into the game with a 3-2 record but a higher 4.58 ERA. Final Score Prediction, Houston Astros win 6-3.