On the evening of August 13, 2024, the Houston Astros are set to clash with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, with first pitch slated for 6:50 PM under clear skies. Yusei Kikuchi, with an ERA of 4.618, will be starting for the Astros. His counterpart from the Rays, Shane Baz, enters the game with a slightly better ERA of 4.295. Looking at the AL West Division, the Astros currently sit in 6th place with a record of 62-55, translating to a winning percentage of 0.53. They have performed well against division opponents, holding a 21-18 record and are coming into this game with momentum, having won their last five consecutive games. In contrast, the Rays hold the 9th spot in the AL East Division with a 59-58 record, reflecting a 0.50 winning percentage. They’ve struggled in division play with a 17-23 record. Despite a recent victory, the Rays have won just 4 of their last 10 games. At Tropicana Field, the Rays have a balanced 31-31 home record, while the Astros have a nearly equal road record of 30-29. In terms of scoring, the Astros have outperformed the Rays, amassing 542 runs to the Rays’ 460.