Astros vs. Diamondbacks Friday MLB probable pitchers, odds: Both teams on verge of Wild Card spots

Interleague play has been around for decades in MLB, but this is the first season in which every team in the majors plays every other club for at least one series. Because there is an odd number of teams in each league (15), that means there is always at least one interleague series. The lone such matchup on the final weekend of the regular season is absolutely massive as Houston visits Arizona with the Diamondbacks as -120 favorites on the SportsLine consensus for Friday's opener.

DBacks manger Torey Lovullo entered this year on a hot seat following three straight losing seasons, but Arizona (84-75) is guaranteed a winning mark this year, and it would take something very unusual for it to not earn a National League Wild Card spot and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Philadelphia has locked up the No. 4 seed as the top Wild Card team and Arizona is second, 1.5 games ahead of Miami for the final playoff berth. The Diamondbacks hold a head-to-head tiebreaker with the Cubs but lost one to the Marlins. Arizona is -8000 to make the playoffs at DraftKings and +2500 for to not. The DBacks are -215 to be the No. 2 Wild Card team and +165 to be the No. 3.

Arizona had chance to cut its Magic Number to 1 early Thursday but was upset 3-1 at the White Sox after winning the first two games by a combined score of 18-4. All-Star outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was back in the lineup and 1-for-4 on Thursday a day after he was scratched with right shoulder discomfort. Arizona would have clinched Thursday with both a win and a Cubs loss at Atlanta that night. Chicago did lose, so the DBacks' magic number dropped to 1.

Ace right-hander Zac Gallen (17-8, 3.49 ERA), who will get some NL Cy Young Award votes (San Diego's Blake Snell is likely to win it), is on the mound Friday in possible clincher. He is simply a different pitcher in the desert at 12-2 with a 2.45 ERA this year compared to 5-6 with a 4.42 ERA on the road. In a bit of a strange trend, Gallen has gotten a decision in nine straight starts. He is 1-0 with a 3.24 ERA in four career starts vs. Houston.

The Astros (87-72), who were off Thursday, took two of three to start this week in Seattle to put themselves in a great spot to return to the postseason for a seventh straight year. Houston holds a one-game lead over the Mariners for the final spot. The Astros, whose Magic Number is 2, lost the tiebreaker with Seattle and current the Blue Jays, the current owners of the second Wild Card, but won the season series against the AL West-leading Rangers. Houston is -255 to make the postseason and +210 to miss. It is +800 to be the No. 2 Wild Card team and -130 for No. 3.

Outfielder Chas McCormick missed Wednesday's game with a sore back – he was hit by a pitch on Tuesday – but should play Friday as it's all hands on deck. McCormick is having a career year at .279 with 22 homers, 70 RBI and 19 steals.

Rookie JP France makes the biggest of his young career for Houston. The 28-year-old has been a huge surprise at 11-6 with a 3.83 ERA, but might be fading -- he's thrown by far the most innings of his career this season. France having surrendered 26 runs over his last 28.1 innings. His season ERA before that stretch was 2.75. France hasn't faced Arizona but is 6-2 with a 3.11 ERA on the road this year. 

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