Rays vs Astros Preview: Big July 4 Showdown

Drew Rasmussen is Tampa Bay's ace this season, and he's bringing that heat to Houston. The right-hander has a microscopic 0.97 ERA and 40 strikeouts. He's an All-Star for the first time in his career. The Rays are riding an eight-game winning streak right now, sitting pretty at 51-33. Hunter Brown starts for Houston with a 1.84 ERA. Both pitchers are first-time All-Stars. This matchup is going to be tight. Every pitch matters when you've got two of baseball's sharpest young arms facing off on the Fourth of July.

The Rays are on fire right now with eight straight wins under their belt. They're 51-33 overall and have won eight of their last ten games. Houston is fighting, but the Astros sit at 43-46 with a losing record at home—21-23. Tampa Bay's pitching depth is legendary. They develop arms like a machine. The Rays have proven they can win games in different ways. Houston needs to slow down Tampa Bay's momentum. The Astros will lean on closer Josh Hader to keep things tight.

You've got two teams going in completely different directions on the Fourth of July. Tampa Bay's bats have been clicking because the pitching gives them chances to win close games. Houston has some injuries piling up—star shortstop Carlos Correa is out for the season with an ankle injury. LaMonte Wade Jr. might return soon, but he's recovering from a hamstring strain. Jeremy Pena is working his way back from a calf injury. The Astros need their healthy players to step up big. Tampa Bay has momentum and health on their side. This matters when every run counts.