HOUSTON vs PORTLAND
When: 12/26/2020 10:00 PM
Where:

TV: 10:00 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: PORTLAND , HOUSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the PORTLAND listed as point favorites versus the HOUSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at .

A short-handed version of the Houston Rockets, including star James Harden but without six other players, will try again Saturday to open the season.

The Rockets, with just nine available players, one above the NBA minimum, are prepared to play a Saturday road game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Houston had to postpone its scheduled Wednesday home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder when it had fewer than eight players available due to positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing.

Before the Thunder game was scrapped, new Rockets guard John Wall delivered straightforward words on hopes and expectations for the 2020-21 season.

“The only expectations I have are staying healthy,” Wall said. “That’s how I feel for any of us, just all stay healthy and go out there and play basketball. That’s all I can focus on because I haven’t played in so long.”

Good health could be translated to “virus-free” in the current lexicon, and by that measure, the Rockets are not. Kenyon Martin Jr. and Ben McLemore are sidelined following positive COVID-19 tests.

The Rockets listed six players as unavailable for Saturday: McLemore and Martin, who are self-isolating away from the team, plus Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Gordon and Mason Jones, who are quarantined due to contact tracing.

Interestingly, Harden was absent from the daily injury report after reportedly testing negative a fourth time in as many days Friday. Harden was fined $50,000 for violating the league’s health and safety protocols after he attended a private indoor party Monday. He was listed as unavailable for the Thunder game that didn’t happen but is expected to start against Portland.

The Rockets’ thin bench will include two undrafted rookie free agents, Jae’Sean Tate and Brodric Thomas.

The Trail Blazers’ early-season issues are more traditional.

Having entered this season seemingly reinforced defensively, Portland surrendered 120 points to the visiting Utah Jazz on Wednesday, allowing 19 3-pointers (on 50 attempts). Portland, which trailed by as many as 23 points while surrendering 65 first-half points, also was hammered on the boards. Utah posted a 59-40 rebounding edge and finished with a 17-8 edge in second-chance points.

Add to those woes subpar efforts from Blazers star guards Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, and Portland barely resembled a team poised to make a leap in the Western Conference. Lillard posted a scoreless first half en route to a quiet nine-point, seven-assist effort as he shot 4-for-12 from the floor. McCollum, who earned a late-game technical foul, managed 23 points, but he hit only 7 of 19 field-goal attempts.

“It was a tough night offensively and defensively for our team,” Lillard said, “but it’s a long season like we always say, and we can’t let losing one game cause us to lose two and three.

“It’s one game. We didn’t play great in the preseason, and this isn’t how we wanted to start our season. I think we’ve got to be a little more assertive in correcting ourselves and demanding more of each other.”

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CINCINNATI vs HOUSTON
When: 12/27/2020 1:00 PM
Where:

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: -7.5
PREDICTION: HOUSTON , CINCINNATI

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as -7.5 point favorites versus the CINCINNATI, while the game’s total is sitting at 46.

The image of Deshaun Watson gazing in disbelief after another costly late-game fumble against the Indianapolis Colts is sure to linger with Houston Texans fans.

The quarterback and the Texans (4-10) will attempt to rebound Sunday when they host the Cincinnati Bengals (3-10-1).

Watson had once again dragged the short-handed Texans to the brink of victory with his exceptional play against the Colts, only to be undermined by a second red-zone turnover in three weeks. Houston lost each of those two games to Indianapolis on either side of a loss at Chicago.

The juxtaposition of the results for the Texans this season against Watson and his impressive performances will resonate into an offseason during which the Texans will have multiple needs to address, including vacancies at head coach and general manager.

Watson is the one constant. No one would question his bona fides as a top signal-caller, considering he ranks second in the NFL in passing yards (4,134) and passer rating (110.6) despite attrition at the Texans’ skill positions.

“I think all of that will make him better because he’s able to adapt to the receivers that he has on the field and he can still put up the good numbers,” Texans interim coach Romeo Crennel said. “I think that when he gets a consistent crew, that’ll just make him better down the line.

“Even though he’s had good numbers, I think that he will say that the fact that we’re not winning doesn’t satisfy him. I think his choice would be to have good numbers and to have a lot of wins to go along with it.”

The two demoralizing losses to Indianapolis left the Texans assured of a losing record this season following back-to-back AFC South division titles.

The Bengals’ 27-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday qualified as impressive at face value. Cincinnati was riding a five-game overall losing streak, had dropped 11 consecutive games against its AFC North rival and was a double-digit underdog entering the primetime affair.

Cincinnati overcame those odds, doing so with a third-string quarterback (Ryan Finley) and without their leading receiver, Tyler Boyd, who was knocked from the contest in the early stages after sustaining a concussion.

The Bengals appear undaunted by the chore of traveling to Houston during the holidays to square off with the Texans. Preparedness hasn’t been an issue.

“It hasn’t been a challenge to get these guys focused at all, to be quite honest, and I think that shows on how we played the other week,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “This week there’s a lot of things to manage. It’s a short week, we’re on the road, you’ve got Christmas. But again, I’ve got a lot of faith in our guys to handle it the right way and we’ve laid out our expectations for them. And we know that they’ll be pros about it.”

Playing out the string of a 16-game schedule is a task in itself. Doing so during a pandemic-altered season can sap enthusiasm. The Bengals might still be without Boyd and quarterback Brandon Allen (knee) against the Texans, but their effort Monday provided a bit of a boost, perhaps enough to carry Cincinnati through the final two games of the schedule.

“This was something that we all needed,” Bengals running back Giovani Bernard said of beating the Steelers. “It’s something that I’m sure everybody is proud of.”

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TENNESSEE vs HOUSTON
When: 1/3/2021 1:00 PM
Where:

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: 4.5
PREDICTION: HOUSTON , TENNESSEE

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as 4.5 point favorites versus the TENNESSEE, while the game’s total is sitting at 55.4.

There were moments this season when Tennessee played with such force and vigor that a playoff berth seemed all but assured, something akin to a foregone conclusion given their offensive weapons.

But with five teams vying for four AFC playoff spots all sporting the same record, there are no guarantees for the Titans (10-5) on Sunday when they face the host Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.

“I think your approach is that you just have to do things that help you win,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said of the pending sense of urgency. “You have to play complementary. You’ve got to take care of the football. You’ve got to try to get some turnovers, be sound in the kicking game. Not trying to do too much but go out and make plays and make plays to win the football game.”

The Titans rank third in the NFL in points (450) and fifth in yards (5,851) behind the imposing collective of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, running back Derrick Henry and receivers A.J. Brown and Corey Davis.

Tannehill ranks fourth in passer rating (106.7) and seventh in touchdowns (32) while Henry is threatening to claim a second consecutive triple crown for running backs by pacing the league in attempts (344) and yards (1,777) while sitting one touchdown shy of co-leaders Dalvin Cook and Alvin Kamara (with 16 apiece).

Brown and Davis both have 60 receptions for 900-plus yards while Davis is tied for sixth in the league with 10 receiving touchdowns.

Yet Tennessee has been undone by its defense, which ranks 29th in yards allowed, and is now in need of relying on past playoff experience to navigate the potential landmines in Houston. In theory, the run to the AFC Championship Game last season should serve the Titans well on Sunday, but in a season where guarantees have been few and far between, nothing is certain.

“I don’t know that,” Vrabel said. “We’ve got to focus on the Texans and the challenges that they present and our ability to prepare. I think you try to take from the games that you’ve played and past experiences and try not to think that it’s going to guarantee success because it doesn’t. Each week and each play doesn’t mean anything about the next one. It’s just about finding a way to get there.”

The Texans (4-11) are aiming to get Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson through the season finale. Watson has taken his lumps in recent weeks yet has remained a dynamic force. But the blow he took to his throwing arm in the fourth quarter last Sunday against the Bengals was worrisome enough to lead some to suggest that Watson should sit and call it a season Sunday.

Watson has made it clear, however, that if he is healthy he will play. And by all accounts, he will.

“As far as I know, he’s doing pretty good,” Texans interim coach Romeo Crennel said. “I haven’t heard that he’s not doing well, and so since I feel like he’s doing good, I hope he does good on Sunday, too.”

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JACKSONVILLE vs HOUSTON
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 15, 2019
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Houston -9.5.
O/U: 43.5
PREDICTION: Texans 27, Jaguars 20

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as -9.5 point favorites versus the JACKSONVILLE, while the game’s total is sitting at 43.5.

The line between moral victory and demoralizing loss can be fine in the NFL, but the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars firmly were on opposite sides of it in Week 1. The AFC South rivals aim to rebound from season-opening losses when they square off Sunday in Houston.

The Texans squandered a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback on Monday as they lost 30-28 at New Orleans on a last-second field goal. Will Lutz’s 58-yard kick came after Houston had gone 75 yards on two plays to take the lead with 37 seconds left. The Jaguars, on the other hand, were encouraged by their second-half surge in a 40-26 loss to Kansas City, especially considering rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew replaced injured starter Nick Foles and impressed in his NFL debut. “He’s one of the few guys I’ve been around who can go from the classroom and really take it right onto the field,” Jaguars coach Doug Marrone told reporters. “The other day was an unbelievable indication of that. I don’t know how many people – especially rookies – can go out not having done anything during the week and play like that.”

ABOUT THE JAGUARS (0-1): Foles is out until at least Week 11 with a broken collarbone, but Jacksonville has confidence in Minshew, who completed his first 13 passes and finished 22-of-25 for 275 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in his debut. Minshew benefits from a workhorse back in Leonard Fournette and a receiving corps that showed off its newfound depth against the Chiefs. Jacksonville’s defense was humbled by Kansas City’s high-powered attack, allowing 491 total yards, and will have to do a better job of pressuring the quarterback against another high-powered offense.

ABOUT THE TEXANS (0-1): Houston has a dynamic duo in the passing game with quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but the newly constructed backfield tandem also got the job done last week. Carlos Hyde rushed for 83 yards just nine days after being acquired from Kansas City and Duke Johnson recorded 90 yards from scrimmage in his debut for the Texans. The defense surrendered 510 total yards to the Saints and had a hard time getting pressure in the backfield, recording just one sack and no tackles for loss.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Hopkins has made seven or more catches in four straight home games against the Jaguars, including 12 grabs for 147 yards in the most recent meeting.

2. Jacksonville DE Calais Campbell has registered 7.5 sacks in his last four games against Houston.

3. Texans DE J.J. Watt has notched 16 sacks versus the Jaguars, his second-highest total against any opponent.

PREDICTION: Texans 27, Jaguars 20

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HOUSTON vs NEW ORLEANS
When: 7:10 PM ET, Monday, September 9, 2019
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

TV: 7:10 PM
LINE: -7
PREDICTION: NEW ORLEANS , HOUSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW ORLEANS listed as -7 point favorites versus the HOUSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 53.

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HOUSTON vs SEATTLE
GAME: Houston Astros (40-20) at Seattle Mariners (25-37)
DATE/TIME: Monday, June 03 – 10:10 PM EST
WHERE: T-Mobile Park, Seattle, Washington

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
LINE: 120
PREDICTION: Astros 6, Mariners 2

Oddsmakers currently have the SEATTLE listed as 120 point favorites versus the HOUSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 9.5.

The Houston Astros have maintained a stranglehold on the American League West due in large part to their record against their division rivals. Winners of 18 of 23 contests within the AL West, the first-place Astros aim to continue their dominance on Monday when they open of a four-game series against the host Seattle Mariners.

Houston’s Yuli Gurriel capped his second three-hit performance in six outings with an RBI single in the 12th inning of Sunday’s 6-4 win over Oakland. The Astros have won five of six overall along with nine in a row versus division representatives, and that streak doesn’t include a three-game sweep of the Mariners in the Pacific Northwest from April 12-14. While Houston has flourished against the AL West, the opposite is true for Seattle as it fell to 2-11 in its last 13 games versus the division following Sunday’s 13-3 shellacking by the Los Angeles Angels. Kyle Seager belted a solo homer and a double as part of a five-hit effort for the Mariners, who have lost 14 of 17 overall to plummet a season-worst 12 games under .500.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Corbin Martin (1-1, 5.51 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Wade LeBlanc (2-2, 6.99)

Martin answered a sterling nine-strikeout performance in his major-league debut by posting an 0-1 mark with a 6.55 ERA in his last three starts. The 23-year-old has surrendered a homer in each of his four trips to the mound, with three leaving the park in 3 2/3 innings of a no-decision versus the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. Martin’s command has dissipated since this debut on May 12, as he has allowed eight walks in his last three outings (11 innings).

LeBlanc has struggled in his three starts since returning from a strained right oblique, posting an 0-2 mark with a bloated 10.22 ERA. The 34-year-old, however, showed promise in Wednesday’s no-decision against Texas, as he did not walk a batter in five innings and kept the ball in the park after permitting six homers in his previous two games. LeBlanc received a no-decision in his last outing versus Houston on April 12, yielding two runs on a season-high eight hits before exiting after 4 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Seattle LF Domingo Santana collected three hits and four RBIs in the previous series against Houston.

2. Astros OF-DH Michael Brantley’s RBI single in the 12th inning on Sunday extended his hitting streak to six games (9-for-22).

3. The Mariners sent three-time All-Star OF Jay Bruce and cash considerations to Philadelphia for Class-A INF Jake Scheiner on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Astros 6, Mariners 2

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CHICAGO CUBS vs HOUSTON
GAME: Chicago Cubs (30-22) at Houston Astros (36-19)
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, May 28 – 8:10 PM EST
WHERE: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ABC 7 (Chicago), AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston)
LINE: -130
PREDICTION: Cubs 5, Astros 2

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as -130 point favorites versus the CHICAGO CUBS, while the game’s total is sitting at 9.

The Chicago Cubs and ace Jon Lester hope to regain their top form when they visit the red-hot Houston Astros on Tuesday for the second contest of their three-game interleague series. Lester was roughed up in each of his last two starts while the National League Central-leading Cubs have dropped four of their last five contests after Monday’s 6-5 setback.

Chicago’s Kris Bryant (neck) and Jason Heyward (hip) both sat out the series opener after their collision in Sunday’s loss to Cincinnati, but Anthony Rizzo extended his hitting streak to nine games (17-for-35) with a two-run homer in the first inning. Lester goes after his fourth win of the season and third on the road when he takes the mound on Tuesday while the Astros will counter with rookie Corbin Martin, who is slated to make his fourth major-league start. American League West-leading Houston improved to 21-7 at home with Monday’s victory as it scored five times in the third inning and held on for its 15th win in 19 contests. Slugger George Springer (hamstring) is out, but Carlos Correa (4-for-7, two RBIs in last two games) should be back in the lineup after being rested Monday and former MVP Jose Altuve (hamstring) could return soon following a rehab assignment.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (3-3, 2.68 ERA) vs. Astros RH Corbin Martin (1-1, 4.97)

Lester’s struggles have followed a dominant start to the season during which he allowed just five earned runs over his first seven starts. The 35-year-old yielded 12 runs – nine earned – and 17 hits (three homers) in 8 1/3 innings to lose outings against Washington and Philadelphia. Michael Brantley is 8-for-24 with two doubles versus Lester, who is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in two career starts against the Astros.

Martin has completed more than four innings just once in his first three starts, giving up a homer in each outing. The 23-year-old native of Houston won his debut against Texas after allowing two runs in 5 1/3 frames but has given up seven over 7 1/3 innings in his last two turns. Martin, a second-round pick in the 2017 draft, will face the Cubs for the first time after losing to the Chicago White Sox last time out.

WALK-OFFS

1. Houston placed INF Aledmys Diaz (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list and purchased the contract of 28-year-old 2B Jack Mayfield, who recorded an RBI double in his major-league debut on Monday, from Triple-A Round Rock.

2. Cubs SS Addison Russell homered among his three hits on Monday and is 7-for-12 with two blasts and three RBIs at MInute Maid Park.

3. The Astros are 13-5 against left-handed starting pitchers this year and own a major league-best 56-25 record in interleague play since the start of the 2015 season.

PREDICTION: Cubs 5, Astros 2

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CHICAGO CUBS vs HOUSTON
GAME: Chicago Cubs (30-21) at Houston Astros (35-19)
DATE/TIME: Monday, May 27 – 2:10 PM EST
WHERE: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston)
LINE: -185
PREDICTION: Astros 4, Cubs 3

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as -185 point favorites versus the CHICAGO CUBS, while the game’s total is sitting at 8.

A pair of division leaders whose weekends ended with a whimper meet on Monday afternoon, when the Houston Astros host the opener of their three-game interleague series against the Chicago Cubs. Houston registered a pair of one-run wins to begin its weekend series with Boston before falling 4-1 on Sunday.

In their first game since placing American League home-run leader George Springer (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list, the Astros managed four hits while committing a pair of errors and falling to 4-3 on their 10-game homestand. The Cubs dropped two of three to Cincinnati at home over the weekend, a series capped by a 10-2 setback on Sunday in which they also lost a key bat as Kris Bryant departed following a collision in the outfield. Chicago manager Joe Maddon told reporters that Bryant, who has belted nine home runs this month, was being evaluated for an injury in the head and neck area, and that the team would have an update prior to the series in Houston. Cole Hamels will try to bounce back from his shortest start of the season when he takes the mound for the Cubs in the opener opposite Gerrit Cole.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Cole Hamels (4-0, 3.38 ERA) vs. Astros RH Gerrit Cole (4-5, 4.11)

Hamels remained unbeaten despite giving up four runs and a season-high nine hits in four innings against Philadelphia on Wednesday. It marked the fourth time in six outings the 35-year-old failed to record a quality start. He is 5-2 lifetime at Minute Maid Park and has dominated Houston’s Carlos Correa, who is 2-for-21 with seven strikeouts against Hamels.

Cole was the first pitcher in the majors to reach 100 strikeouts this season after registering seven over five innings in his last outing, but he was hit hard while surrendering six runs. The UCLA product owns a 4.60 ERA in five home starts this year after posting a 2.99 mark in 2018. Cole saw plenty of the Cubs during his time in the National League Central with Pittsburgh and is 9-3 with a 2.50 ERA against them.

WALK-OFFS

1. Houston’s Max Stassi (knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday while fellow C Garrett Stubbs was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock.

2. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo has gone 15-for-32 during his eight-game hitting streak.

3. The teams have met twice since Houston moved to the AL, with Chicago taking two of three in both series.

PREDICTION: Astros 4, Cubs 3

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BOSTON vs HOUSTON
GAME: Boston Red Sox (27-25) at Houston Astros (35-18)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, May 26 – 2:10 PM EST
WHERE: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas

TV: 2:10 PM
LINE: -180
PREDICTION: Astros 3, Red Sox 2

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as -180 point favorites versus the BOSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 8.5.

Justin Verlander is 36 but acts and plays much younger as he takes the ball when the Houston Astros try for a three-game sweep of the visiting Boston Red Sox on Sunday. Verlander, who flirted with his third career no-hitter in his last start, is signed through 2021 but wants to pitch well into his 40s.

“I can’t see stopping. I enjoy playing,” Verlander, who has eight of his 212 career victories this season, told reporters. “I enjoy coming to the park every day, all that. None of that’s changed. But really, what it comes down to is just the competitiveness, the sheer will to go out and be my best.” Houston prevailed 4-3 on Saturday on a walk-off single by Carlos Correa and played without George Springer (17 home runs, 43 RBIs – both American League highs), who suffered a hamstring injury Friday and was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday. The Astros are 17-4 in their last 21 games, including a 2-1 series win at Boston last weekend, and are a major league-best 20-6 at home. The Red Sox, who send a struggling Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound Sunday, have lost two in a row at Minute Maid Park after winning five straight – including three in the 2018 AL Championship Series.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (4-3, 5.43 ERA) vs. Astros RH Justin Verlander (8-1, 2.24)

Rodriguez allowed six runs and six hits (season-high three home runs) in five innings of a 10-3 loss at Toronto on Tuesday. The 26-year-old Venezuelan escaped with a no-decision in Boston’s 6-5 victory over Colorado on May 15, yielding five runs with a season-high 10 strikeouts in six frames after going 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA in his previous four starts. Houston’s Alex Bregman is 2-for-4 with two homers and Carlos Correa is 4-for-5 with two walks versus Rodriguez, who is 0-2 with a 9.90 ERA in three career starts against the Astros.

Verlander permitted only a home run to Jose Abreu while walking one and striking out a season-high 12 in eight innings of Tuesday’s 5-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The Virginia native, who needs nine strikeouts to pass Cy Young and move into 21st on the all-time list, has recorded nine quality starts in his 11 turns and has allowed 36 hits in 72 1/3 frames this season. Boston’s Mookie Betts is 0-for-13 versus Verlander, who is 5-5 with a 2.89 ERA in 18 regular-season starts against the Red Sox but lost to them in the deciding Game 5 of the ALCS.

WALK-OFFS

1. Boston 3B Rafael Devers (.326) went 3-for-4 on Saturday and is 11-for-23 with three home runs and seven RBIs in his last five games.

2. Astros RHP Roberto Osuna was 13-for-13 in save opportunities this season and recorded one in 28 straight games, including a franchise-record 25 in a row, before allowing two runs in the ninth inning Saturday.

3. Boston INF/OF Brock Holt (shoulder, cornea) could be activated as soon as Sunday and play for the first time since April 5.

PREDICTION: Astros 3, Red Sox 2

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CHI WHITE SOX vs HOUSTON
GAME: Chicago White Sox (21-26) at Houston Astros (33-16)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, May 22 – 8:10 PM EST
WHERE: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)
LINE: -315
PREDICTION: Astros 8, White Sox 2

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as -315 point favorites versus the CHI WHITE SOX, while the game’s total is sitting at 8.5.

The Houston Astros hope for yet another masterful pitching performance when they continue their 10-game homestand with the third contest of their four-game set against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. Brad Peacock and four relievers combined on a six-hit shutout in the series opener and Justin Verlander flirted with a no-hitter in Tuesday’s 5-1 triumph.

A former American League Cy Young Award and MVP winner, Verlander held Chicago hitless for 6 1/3 innings and registered a season-high 12 strikeouts in eight innings to help lead Houston to its seventh straight home victory and 15th in 17 overall contests. Michael Brantley, who highlighted a four-run fifth inning with a two-run double, has gone 6-for-17 over his last four games while Carlos Correa has recorded at least one RBI in four consecutive contests and eight over his last seven games. Jose Abreu notched Chicago’s lone hit on Tuesday, breaking up Verlander’s no-hit bid with his 11th home run. The 32-year-old Cuban has hit safely in four straight contests and 23 of his last 29.

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Ivan Nova (2-4, 7.42 ERA) vs. Astros RH Gerrit Cole (4-4, 3.56)

Nova went 0-3 over his first six starts, surrendering at least five runs on four occasions while giving up one in each of the other two outings. The 32-year-old Dominican appeared to be turning things around, posting back-to-back road wins while allowing one run in each, before being tagged for nine runs – eight earned – on eight hits (three homers) and four walks over three innings in a loss to Toronto on Friday. Nova is 2-1 with one complete game and a 3.97 ERA in three starts and one relief appearance against Houston in his career.

Cole has been superb of late, producing two scoreless outings and one in which he yielded a single run over his last four starts. The 28-year-old Californian, who leads the league with 93 strikeouts, won his first three turns during that stretch but settled for a no-decision at Boston on Friday as he scattered six hits over five scoreless frames but needed 99 pitches to do so. Cole won his only career start against Chicago on June 18, 2015, when he gave up two runs and three hits in seven innings while with Pittsburgh.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros OF George Springer has missed three straight games due to tightness in his lower back.

2. Chicago has lost five of its last seven contests, getting outscored 32-5 in the setbacks.

3. Houston placed Collin McHugh (elbow) on the 10-day injured list and recalled fellow RHP Brady Rodgers from Triple-A Round Rock.

PREDICTION: Astros 8, White Sox 2

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