Published Apr 4, 8:17pm ET by
Paul Lebowitz - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Apr 4, 8:17pm ET
Shutterstock
Updated Apr 4, 8:17pm ET
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| Athletics | +105 |
| Houston Astros | -116 |
Lance McCullers Jr. was a key component in the Astros two World Series wins since 2017.
But for a while, it looked like his MLB career was in jeopardy.
However, after looking like he was heading for stardom with a 7th place finish in the 2021 AL Cy Young Award voting, he suffered a litany of injuries to his elbow, hand, and foot that sabotaged his career and left him on the sideline for much of 2022-2025. When he did pitch, his results were poor. He discussed the possibility of retiring.
Now, at 32, he is seemingly healthy and had an excellent start in his first appearance in 2026. Against the Red Sox, he tossed 7 innings, allowed 4 hits, 1 earned run, walked 1, and struck out 9.
The Astros have won 6 of 7 after an 0-2 start.
Yordan Alvarez has come out blazing with a .423 average, a 1.475 OPS, and 3 homers. Jose Altuve is batting .321 with 2 homers. Christian Walker is batting .344 with a 1.042 OPS.
Against McCullers, the Athletics' Shea Langeliers is batting .333 in 3 at-bats with a double. Brent Rooker is hitting .333 in 6 at-bats with a double. Jacob Wilson is 2 for 3 with a double and a home run.
In his first start of the season against the Braves, Jacob Lopez struggled, particularly with his control. In 4 innings, he allowed 6 hits and 3 earned runs. He walked 5 and didn't record a strikeout. The A's lost 4-0, but it could have been far worse.
Lopez showed promise as a backend starter in 2025, posting a 1.1 bWAR, winning 7 and losing 7. He allowed 81 hits in 92.2 innings, walked 37, and struck out 113.
The A's had a better-than-expected season in 2025 and spent some money over the winter. So there were high hopes for a marked improvement. They have lost 6 of their first 8 games this season.
Shea Langeliers has already hit 5 homers and has a 1.164 OPS. The "other" Max Muncy has a .923 OPS with 2 homers and 3 doubles. Nick Kurtz is struggling at .083 in 30 plate appearances. Jeff McNeil is batting .150.
Against Lopez, the Astros' Jake Meyers is 1 for 2 with a single. Altuve is 1 for 3 with a single. Walker is 1 for 4 with a single. Carlos Correa is 0 for 2 with 2 K's.
It's hard to judge McCullers off of one start. He's been so injury-prone and ineffective over the past few years that it will take some time to believe he's rounding into form. Lopez was all over the place against the Braves. The Astros will not do him any favors by swinging at pitches out of the strike zone.
The Astros' Alvarez has been blistering hot and they will outscore the A's to take the win in Sacramento.
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Houston Astros -116
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