Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros Picks and Prediction for Sunday, May 17, 2026
Use Code WWWC The Texas Rangers visit the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Sunday at 2:10 PM ET on MLB.TV. Texas is 21-23 and third in the AL West, while Houston is 18-28 and fourth in the division. The Astros beat the Rangers 2-0 in the series opener Friday night, ending Texas’ two-game winning streak. Houston now leads the current series 1-0, before Saturday´s matchup, which was played after this article was published, and Sunday´s final game of the series. Find value with our free MLB picks.
Rangers Looking for More Offensive Production
Texas is coming off a 2-0 loss to Houston after winning three of its previous four games. Before the loss Friday, the Rangers took two of three from Arizona and shut out the Cubs 3-0 last weekend. Texas has remained competitive largely because of pitching despite inconsistent offensive production throughout the first six weeks of the season.
The Rangers are hitting .230 with a .311 on-base percentage and .363 slugging percentage, producing 162 runs on 331 hits. Josh Jung has been the team’s top overall hitter with a .316 average, 49 hits, and a .497 slugging percentage. Corey Seager leads Texas with seven home runs and 20 RBI despite batting only .179, while Jake Burger has added seven home runs and 27 RBI. Brandon Nimmo owns a .357 OBP, and Ezequiel Duran is batting .283 with 16 RBI. Texas has produced only 40 home runs this season and continues to rank near the bottom of the American League in slugging percentage.
Pitching has carried the Rangers for much of the season. Texas enters with a 3.60 ERA and 1.23 WHIP while holding opponents to a .227 batting average. The Rangers have recorded 373 strikeouts through 44 games and rank seventh in MLB in team ERA. Texas has also delivered 12 quality starts and limited opponents to 45 home runs. However, the bullpen has occasionally struggled in close games.
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Injuries: Chris Martin, 15-Day IL, Wyatt Langford, 10-Day IL, Nathan Eovaldi, Day-To-Day, Luis Curvelo, 15-Day IL, Robert Garcia, 15-Day IL
Astros Still Trying to Recover in the AL West Standings
Houston opened this series with a 2-0 win over Texas after splitting its previous four games against Seattle. The Astros remain near the bottom of the AL West standings because of pitching struggles, although the offense continues to produce consistently behind the middle of the lineup.
Houston is hitting .253 with a .329 on-base percentage and .416 slugging percentage, producing 208 runs on 395 hits. Yordan Alvarez continues to lead the offense with a .321 batting average, 14 home runs, 30 RBI, and a 1.068 OPS. Christian Walker has added 10 home runs and 29 RBI, while Carlos Correa owns a .279 average with a .369 OBP. Jose Altuve has contributed 39 hits and 10 doubles, and Isaac Paredes is batting .257 with 18 RBI. Houston has totaled 55 home runs and continues to generate runs consistently.
Pitching remains the Astros’ biggest issue entering this matchup. Houston carries a 5.47 ERA and 1.56 WHIP, both ranking near the bottom of MLB. Opponents are batting .259 against Astros pitching, while the staff has already issued 232 walks through 46 games. Houston has also allowed 61 home runs this season, creating constant pressure on the bullpen and rotation.
Injuries: Jeremy Pena, 10-Day IL, Lucas Spence, 7-Day IL, Yainer Diaz, 10-Day IL, Walker Janek, 7-Day IL, Nate Pearson, 15-Day IL
Pitching Matchup
Texas Rangers – Undecided Starter
Texas had not announced a starting pitcher at the time this preview was written.
Houston Astros – Peter Lambert
Lambert is 2-3 with a 2.76 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 29.1 innings. The right-hander has allowed 21 hits with 29 strikeouts and 12 walks while surrendering only one home run. Lambert threw 7.0 innings against Seattle in his most recent start while allowing three earned runs.
Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros Spread Pick
- Texas Rangers
The Rangers have the advantage because of stronger overall pitching numbers and a better ERA thus far this season. Texas ranks near the top 10 in MLB in ERA and WHIP, while Houston continues to struggle limiting baserunners and home runs. Even with Lambert pitching well recently, Texas is in a favorable position to respond after the shutout loss Friday night.
Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros Over/Under Pick
- Under
This game will cash under as Texas continues relying on pitching and Houston receives another strong outing from Lambert. The Rangers' lineup has struggled to consistently generate power, and Friday’s series opener produced only two total runs. If both teams continue recent offensive trends, scoring opportunities could remain limited through most of this matchup.
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