Seattle Mariners vs Houston Astros Predictions, MLB Picks, Betting Tips 8/16/2020

Game: Seattle Mariners vs Houston Astros

Date: Sunday, August 16, 2020

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: ATSW/RTNW

Odds/Point Spread: Mariners (+216) Astros (-240)

Minute Maid Park is the venue where Josh Reddick and the Houston Astros (9-10, 3rd in AL West) will play the Seattle Mariners (7-14, 5th in AL West) on Sunday. The odds on this contest have the Mariners coming in at +216 and the Astros are at -240. The over/under is set at 9.5. The pitchers expected to start will be Justus Sheffield and Lance McCullers Jr.

Key Seattle Mariners Injuries

8/14/2020 Yusei Kikuchi SP Neck Expected to be out until at least Aug 19
8/14/2020 Yoshihisa Hirano RP Not Injury Related Expected to be out until at least Aug 21
8/10/2020 Carl Edwards RP Forearm Expected to be out until at least Aug 25
8/9/2020 Kendall Graveman SP Neck Expected to be out until at least Aug 21
8/7/2020 Austin Adams RP Knee Expected to be out until at least Aug 19
8/5/2020 Tom Murphy C Foot Expected to be out until at least Aug 21
8/1/2020 Brandon Brennan RP Oblique Expected to be out until at least Sep 15
7/23/2020 Gerson Bautista RP Elbow Expected to be out until at least Sep 1
6/28/2020 Mitch Haniger RF Back Expected to be out until at least Sep 1

Key Houston Astros Injuries

8/15/2020 Aledmys Diaz DH Groin Expected to be out until at least Aug 22
8/12/2020 Roberto Osuna RP Elbow Expected to be out until at least Sep 20
8/8/2020 Brad Peacock SP Shoulder Expected to be out until at least Aug 21
8/8/2020 Chris Devenski RP Arm Expected to be out until at least Aug 17
8/7/2020 Austin Pruitt RP Elbow Expected to be out until at least Sep 15
8/1/2020 Jose Urquidy SP Undisclosed Expected to be out until at least Aug 15
7/26/2020 Justin Verlander SP Forearm Expected to be out until at least Sep 15
7/23/2020 Rogelio Armenteros RP Elbow Expected to be out until at least Aug 15

Useful Pitching Statistics

The Mariners have a 7-14 overall record this season. Sheffield has pitched in 51 innings and has earned 51 strikeouts in his pro baseball career. His earned run average is 5.78 (33 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.693. He has surrendered 60 base hits (10.5 hits per nine innings) and has 27 free passes. Sheffield (1-3 career win-loss mark) is the owner of a FIP of 4.48 while he has gone up against 240 hitters in the major leagues. The bullpen has an earned run average of 6.49 and they have given up 77 base hits on the year. Teams are hitting .195 against the bullpen and they've struck out 86 hitters and walked 53 batters. As a team, Seattle allows 8.2 hits per nine innings while striking out 8.5 batters per nine innings. They are 28th in the league in team earned run average at 5.85. The Mariners pitchers collectively have given up 166 base hits and 119 earned runs. They have allowed 30 home runs this season, ranking them 5th in the league. Seattle as a pitching staff has walked 93 batters and struck out 172. They have walked 4.6 men per 9 innings while striking out 8.5 per 9. They have a team WHIP of 1.42 and their FIP as a unit is 5.20.

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Hitting Statistics

As a team Seattle is hitting .225, good for 22nd in the league. The Mariners hold a .361 team slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .305, which is good for 24th in baseball. They rank 23rd in MLB with 7.5 hits per game. Kyle Seager is hitting .297 with an on-base percentage of .372. He has 22 hits this season in 74 at bats with 19 runs batted in. He has a slugging percentage of .500 and an OPS+ of 145. Austin Nola is hitting .275 this year and he has an on-base percentage of .339. He has totaled 14 hits and he has driven in 8 men in 51 at bats. His OPS+ is 142 while his slugging percentage is at .529. The Mariners have 157 hits, including 32 doubles and 19 home runs. Seattle has walked 72 times so far this season and they have struck out 184 times as a unit. They have left 141 men on base and have a team OPS of .666. They score 3.95 runs per contest and have scored a total of 83 runs this year.

Useful Pitching Statistics

Houston has a 9-10 overall mark this year. McCullers (31-23 mark in his career) has earned a 3.78 earned run average and has given up 8.0 hits per 9 innings. He has a SO/W ratio of 2.84 and he has gone up against 1,999 hitters in his MLB career. So far in his career, McCullers has conceded 419 base knocks while tallying 525 punchouts in 473 frames. He has given up 199 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.276 and a FIP of 3.4. The bullpen has an earned run average of 3.83 and they have given up 85 base hits on the year. Teams are hitting .223 against the Astros bullpen. Their relievers have struck out 79 batters and walked 49 opposing hitters. As a team, Houston allows 8.2 hits per nine innings while striking out 8.3 batters per nine innings. They are 7th in the league in team earned run average at 3.94. The Astros pitchers as a team have surrendered 162 base knocks and 78 earned runs this season. They have given up 21 home runs this year, which ranks 24th in Major League Baseball. Houston as a staff has walked 85 hitters and struck out 165 batters. They give up a walk 4.3 times per 9 innings while they strike out 8.3 per 9. Their team WHIP is 1.39 while their FIP as a staff is 4.43.

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Hitting Statistics

As a team, they are batting .240, good for 16th in the league. The Astros hold a .411 team slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .335, which is good for 6th in baseball. They rank 8th in MLB with 8.5 hits per contest. Josh Reddick comes into this matchup batting .309 with an OBP of .373. He has 21 hits this year along with 7 RBI in 68 AB's. He maintains a slugging percentage of .471 with an OPS+ of 127. Carlos Correa is hitting .324 this season and he has an OBP of .418. He has collected 22 hits in 68 at bats while driving in 9 runs. He has an OPS+ of 141 and a slugging percentage of .471. The Astros as a unit have 161 base hits, including 38 doubles and 23 homers. Houston has walked 87 times this year and they have struck out on 155 occasions. They have had 141 men left on base and have an OPS of .746. They have scored 5.47 runs per game and totaled 104 runs this season.

Who will win tonight's Mariners/Astros MLB game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take the Mariners (+216)

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