In the impending finale of their three-game series scheduled in Florida, the Houston Astros against the Miami Marlins presents itself as a promising betting prospect once again. Will the Marlins manage to establish their supremacy on their home turf?

Date: Game 3 on August 16, 2023 at 6:40 PM ET

Location: Loan Depot Park in St. Petersburg, Florida

Houston Astros Betting Preview

The Astros need to get back on track and finish out this series strong. They came out a little flat in game one, despite having great offense in their previous series against the Los Angeles Angels. Justin Verlander takes the mound for game three and is 7-6 this year.

Their stats show how they have been successful. Their batting average is around .251 and their opponent’s average is hovering .240. This is a decent separation between the two averages.

Their earned run average is nearing 3.78 and their on base percentage has moved close to .324. They also have a slugging percentage coming around .416, which is nearing the league average.

The Astros are second in the AL West by about four games behind the leading Texas Rangers. They need to earn tough wins on the road in order to move closer to the lead.

Miami Marlins Betting Preview

The Marlins have had good success recently against the New York Yankees. This arguably gave them enough positive momentum to win game one here, but they need to close out the series. Jesus Luzardo gets the start on the mound for game three and is 8-7 this season.

Their stats are appealing on offense. Their batting average is around .262 and their opponents average is hovering .244. This is slightly better than the Astros, which might be the difference in this game.

Their earned run average is nearing 4.17 and their on base percentage has moved close to .317. They also have a slugging percentage coming around .402, which is a little low compared to the league average.

The Mariners are third in the NL East by about 14 games behind the Atlanta Braves. They need some luck if they want to catch the Braves, especially since they are one of the best teams in baseball.

Game Odds, Series Trends and Free Pick

The following odds from MyBookie show that the Houston Astros are slight favorites to win game three. The market is estimating that the Astros have a 60.4 percent chance to be victorious.

The Marlins are at their best at home, while the Astros are roughly the same on the road. This will be close, but the Marlins are appealing at home and have slightly better offense with plus money.

Final Pick: Take the Miami Marlins to Win at +105