The Houston Astros and Athletics will get a three-game set underway at 8:10 p.m. ET Friday at Daikin Park. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they’ll have plenty of motivation to get the win.

The Astros managed to slip by the Angels the last time these teams faced off, but didn’t have those same answers this time around. They fell victim to a painful 18-3 loss at the hands of Los Angeles on Thursday.

Peter Lambert played a big role in the loss, as he tossed 3.2 innings while giving up nine earned runs off eight hits. That marked a season-worst in earned runs for him.

Meanwhile, the Athletics’ recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their fourth straight defeat. They took a 6-2 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Royals. Give some credit to the fans of both those teams: the home team has now come away the winner the last six times they’ve met.

The Athletics saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Lawrence Butler, who went 2-for-3 while posting a run. The game also marked Butler’s fifth in a row where he got on base at least two times.

The Athletics’ loss dropped their record to 49-79. As for Houston, the Astros have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost four of their last five games. That’s put a noticeable dent in their 64-64 record this season.

Houston couldn’t quite get it done against the Athletics in their previous meeting on June 7 as they fell 5-0. Can the Astros avenge their defeat, or is history doomed to repeat itself? We’ll find out soon enough.

How to Watch Athletics at Houston Astros

• Date: August 21, 2026
• Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
• Venue: Daikin Park
• TV: NBCS-CA
• Streaming: Stream on Fubo
• Buy tickets: Buy Athletics at Astros tickets on Ticketmaster

Probable Starting Pitcher Analysis

Hayden Wesneski (HOU)

2026 Season Stats: 2-1 | 5.16 ERA | 1.32 WHIP | 7.1 K/9

• Lost last start on August 15 vs. SEA- 4 IP, 5 ER, 7 H
• High run support: 6.3 per game this season
• Pitching with five days rest
• Last start vs ATH (with CHC) (April 17, 2023, road): (ND) 7 IP, 1 ER, 5 H

J.T. Ginn (ATH)

2026 Season Stats: 8-7 | 3.53 ERA | 1.22 WHIP | 8.1 K/9

• Lost last start on August 15 vs. TEXAS- 6 IP, 4 ER, 8 H
• 1-1, 24.1 IP, 8 ER, 19 H in last four starts; 7-6, 3.67 ERA in prior 21 games
• 1.0 home runs allowed per nine innings this season; 1.7 last season
• Last start vs HOU (September 25, home): (L) 3.2 IP, 7 ER, 6 H

Athletics vs. Houston Astros Betting Odds

• Moneyline: ATH +160 / HOU -195
• Run line: HOU -1.5
• Over/Under: 8.5

Betting lines as of 08/21/2026 at 8:28 AM ET. Odds subject to change. Bet with bet365.

Athletics Stat Check: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not

Who’s Hot

• Jeff McNeil (ATH): No strikeouts in five straight games
• Lawrence Butler (ATH): .351/.415/.676 in last 10 games; .202/.297/.319 in prior 105 games

Who’s Not

• Donovan Walton (ATH): .218/.386/.327 since Jul. 17; .319/.354/.505 in prior 27 games
• Jonah Heim (ATH): 0-10 in last four games; .218/.274/.405 in prior 75 games
  • Previous Game: 0-4
• Zack Gelof (ATH): 2-14 in last four games; .276/.332/.500 in prior 69 games
  • Previous Game: 0-4

Houston Astros Stat Check: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not

Who’s Hot

• Isaac Paredes (HOU): 2+ times on base in six straight games
• Cam Smith (HOU): .326/.340/.652 since Aug. 2; .207/.281/.365 in prior 105 games
• Christian Vázquez (HOU): 4-10 in last four games; .211/.264/.319 in prior 70 games

Who’s Not

• Taylor Trammell (HOU) Previous Game: 0-4, 2 K
  • 0 hits in six straight games
• LaMonte Wade (HOU) Previous Game: 0-3, 3 K
  • .167/.286/.167 in last five games; .227/.356/.360 in prior 29 games
• Christian Walker (HOU) Previous Game: 0-3
  • No times on base in four straight games

Last 10 Games for Athletics (2-8)

• Aug. 20: L @ KC 2-6
• Aug. 19: L @ KC 7-9
• Aug. 18: L @ KC 3-4
• Aug. 17: L @ KC 5-9
• Aug. 16: W vs. TEXAS 5-2
• Aug. 15: L vs. TEXAS 3-5
• Aug. 14: W vs. TEXAS 8-3
• Aug. 12: L vs. TB 4-8
• Aug. 11: L vs. TB 4-12
• Aug. 10: L vs. TB 6-10

Last 10 Games for Houston Astros (4-6)

• Aug. 20: L vs. LAA 3-18
• Aug. 19: W vs. LAA 3-2
• Aug. 18: L vs. LAA 1-3
• Aug. 16: L vs. SEA 2-3
• Aug. 15: L vs. SEA 5-10
• Aug. 14: W vs. SEA 10-7
• Aug. 12: W @ SF 2-1
• Aug. 11: L @ SF 1-4
• Aug. 10: W @ SF 6-3
• Aug. 9: L @ SD 2-7

Final Score Prediction for Athletics @ Houston Astros on August 21, 2026

Athletics 3 – Astros 5

Lean: Astros

We’re with the oddsmakers on this one and like the Astros to cover with Isaac Paredes swinging it the way he has been.

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