Astros Face Royals in Weekend Odds Action

The Houston Astros have won four straight games to close the gap behind the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West down to one game. The Astros will look to stay hot this weekend in a three-game road series against the Kansas City Royals.

Houston is a +122 road underdog in Friday's series opener according to the online sportsbooks. Scott Kazmir will make his first start in an Astros uniform after being acquired from the Oakland A's in a trade earlier this week. Jeremy Guthrie will get the nod for the Royals as a -132 home favorite. The Royals have picked up wins in each of Guthrie's last four starts.

The New York Yankees have also won four straight games, opening up a 5.5-game lead over the rest of the AL East. New York will start a three-game road series against the Minnesota Twins on Friday night. Minnesota snapped a four-game losing streak with its win over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday and is a +125 home underdog at online sportsbook Bovada in Friday's series opener. Former Yankee Phil Hughes will get the start against Michael Pineda and the Yankees (-145).

Max Scherzer is listed as a -125 road favorite at Bovada in Friday's game between the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jeff Locke leads the Pirates as a +105 underdog on Friday and will try to keep Pittsburgh rolling after the Pirates snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Nationals with a 7-3 win in the series opener on Thursday. The four-game series continues through the weekend.

At the end of action on the first day of the RBC Canadian Open on Thursday, Argentinian Emiliano Grillo sat alone atop the leaderboard at 8-under-par. Grillo's strong first round has moved his odds up to +1200 at the online sportsbooks to win the event, putting him alongside Bubba Watson and Jim Furyk who are both also going off at +1200 after shooting a 4-under-par on Thursday.

Jason Day also shot 4-under-par on Thursday and is the betting favorite to win the RBC Canadian Open at +700. Other potential contenders include Brian Harman (+1000), Brooks Koepka (+1600), Hunter Mahan (+2000), Matt Kuchar (+2000), and William McGirt (+2500).