Ryan Pepiot has begun to rack up strikeouts at a solid rate, and he’ll find success against the Astros’ mediocre lineup.
Photo By – Imagn Images. Ryan Pepiot Tampa bay Rays MLB
The Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays begin a three-game series at George M. Steinbrenner Field on May 19, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Ryan Pepiot has been throwing the baseball well lately, and I’ll explain why he’ll continue his success in my Astros vs Rays predictions and MLB picks.
Astros vs Rays prediction
My Astros vs Rays best bet: Ryan Pepiot Over 5.5 strikeouts (+116 at Caesars)
The Tampa Bay Rays’ pitching staff as a whole has been solid this season, but the rotation isn’t the most consistent. Ryan Pepiot has emerged as their most reliable starter outside of Drew Rasmussen. The righty is 2-5 with a 3.93 ERA in nine outings, striking out 45 in 50 1/3 innings of work while walking 17.
Pepiot has given up less than 2.5 earned runs in three of his last four starts, and they were all against very good offensive teams in the Padres, Yankees, and Phillies. He’s also struck out Over 5.5 hitters in three of his previous six appearances.
Last week, Pepiot racked up seven Ks against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Houston Astros aren’t exactly great offensively and strike out 7.72 times per game. Pepiot is striking out around one hitter per inning in home outings and will eclipse his K total tonight.
Caesars QuickPick: Our Astros vs Rays same-game parlay (SGP)
Ryan Pepiot 6+ strikeouts
Christian Walker Over 0.5 hits
Brandon Lowe Over 0.5 hits
Christian Walker has struggled in 2025 with the Astros, hitting just .208 with five home runs — hardly the production they were expecting when the ball club signed him in the offseason. However, there’s reason to believe Walker could make some noise at the dish tonight.
The veteran is 2-for-7 lifetime against Pepiot with a home run, and he’s also recorded a base knock in two of his last three games. He’s starting to find himself offensively, and with Pepiot on the hill, he’ll be confident.
Over to Brandon Lowe, who is a key part of Tampa’s lineup. While he’s batting just .217, Lowe has turned it up lately. He’s recorded a hit in five of his last six contests, with three multi-hit outings in that span.
Astros vs Rays odds
Astros vs Rays live odds
Astros vs Rays opening odds
- Moneyline: Houston +115 | Tampa Bay -135
- Run line: Houston +1.5 (-180) | Tampa Bay -1.5 (+150)
- Over/Under: Over 9 | Under 9
Odds courtesy of Caesars.
Astros vs Rays trend
The Tampa Bay Rays have hit the team total Under in 21 of their last 31 games (+9.45 Units / 25% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Rays.
How to watch Astros vs Rays and game info
| Location | George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL |
| Date | Monday, 5-19-2025 |
| First pitch | 7:05 p.m. ET |
| TV | SCHN, FDSNSUN |
| Astros starting pitcher | Framber Valdez (2-4, 3.54 ERA) |
| Rays starting pitcher | Ryan Pepiot (2-5, 3.93 ERA) |
Astros vs Rays latest injuries
Astros vs Rays weather
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