Best MLB bets today: Athletics vs. Astros predictions, best bets, top player props for July 24

Fresh off a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Houston Astros look to keep their winning streak going when they host the Athletics to begin a four-game series on Thursday, July 24. The Astros have surged to the top of the American League thanks to their recent wins and Detroit's slide, while the Athletics are trying to snap a four-game losing streak. First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET on MLB Network.

Sports fans interested in MLB betting can take a look at the SportsLine Projection Model to get the latest A's vs. Astros odds, picks and player prop ratings. The model simulates every game 10,000 times and entered Week 17 of the 2025 MLB season 46-43 on top-rated MLB picks.

Houston is calling up right-hander Jason Alexander to start. The journeyman right-hander has a 1.55 ERA at Triple-A this year but has been knocked around for 16 runs in 15 big-league innings for both the A's and Astros in 2025. While Alexander is fully stretched out, it's unclear how long he'll actually remain in the game. FanDuel Sportsbook has Alexander set at over/under 3.5 strikeouts, with the Over priced -156 and the Under at +122. The model rates the Over 4.5 stars out of 5, projecting the righty to notch 4.8 Ks.

Veteran Luis Severino (3-11, 5.10 ERA) gets the ball for the A's. It's been a weird year for Severino, who has a ghastly 6.68 ERA at the Athletics' temporary home park in Sacramento and a 3.31 ERA on the road. The right-hander is much closer to that latter number from a true talent perspective, and he's publicly stated how much he dislikes pitching at the repurposed minor-league park the A's have chosen to call home this year. Needless to say, he's a prime change-of-scenery trade candidate. Fittingly, Severino's last outing was a road win at Cleveland. For Thursday, FanDuel has him set at O/U 4.5 punchouts, with the Over priced -136 and the Under at +102. The model leans to the Over.

Athletics rookie Nick Kurtz is the favorite to hit a home run on the FanDuel odds board at +265. He's followed by Brent Rooker (+360), Christian Walker (+370), Shea Langeliers (+390), Lawrence Butler (+450), Yainer Diaz (+450) and Tyler Soderstrom (+460).

The Astros are -140 favorites (wager $126 to win $100) in the latest SportsLine consensus odds, while the Athletics are +118 (wager $100 to win $118) underdogs. The total currently sits at 9, with the Under favored at -116. You can find the model's latest projections and expert picks for Astros-Athletics at SportsLine.

Here are the SportsLine model's projections for A's vs. Astros on Thursday, July 24.

ATHLETICS at HOUSTON ASTROS | 7/24 | 8:10 p.m. ET

Money line
Pick: Astros -140
Houston wins in 59% of simulations, bringing value at these odds

Run line
Pick: A's +1.5 (-186)
The A's cover in 64% of simulations, bringing value at these odds

Over/Under
Pick: Over 9 (-104)
The Over hits in 46.3% of simulations, bringing value at these odds

Projected score: Astros 5.0, A's 4.6