Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction, 10/7/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros

Date: Thursday, October 7, 2021

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: MLBN

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (+140) Houston (-185)

Lance McCullers Jr and the Houston Astros (95-67, 1st in AL West) play the Chicago White Sox (93-69, 1st in AL Central) at Minute Maid Park on Thursday. The line on this matchup has the White Sox coming in at +140 and the Astros are at -185. The total opens at 8. The expected starting pitchers will be Lance Lynn and Lance McCullers Jr.

Chicago has a slugging % of .422 and have struck out 1,389 times, while being walked on 586 occasions. They have 757 runs batted in in addition to 1,373 base knocks so far this year, while their average at the plate is sitting at .256. The White Sox have tallied 275 doubles as a team and have knocked 190 balls out of the stadium. They have 796 runs scored and hold an OBP of .336. As a squad, the Chicago White Sox are notching 4.9 runs per outing, which is 8th in baseball.

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The White Sox have a team ERA of 3.73 for the year (5th in baseball), and the staff has struck out 1,588 hitters. They have walked 485 opposing players and their FIP sits at 3.74 as a unit so far this season. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 3.27 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.20. White Sox pitchers have surrendered 182 home runs and also 636 runs in total (4th in baseball).

White Sox bullpen pitchers have come into the game with players on base 131 times as well as having 154 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have earned 89 holds this year (10th in baseball). The White Sox bullpen have recorded a save percentage of 63.2% and stepped onto the hill in 161 save situations. They have earned 43 saves on the year and have missed out on 25 of their 68 save opportunities. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 201 base runners on the season with 34.8% of them crossed home plate. The White Sox have sent 512 relievers to the mound this year.

The White Sox have turned 69.4% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 12,630 innings, which has them sitting 18th in professional baseball. The Chicago White Sox have accounted for 4,210 putouts this year, in addition to 1,210 assists and 97 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .982 which puts them in 27th in pro baseball, and they have turned 1,117 double plays.

Lynn has taken the mound for 1,583 frames and has earned 1,591 strikeouts in his pro baseball career. Lynn (115-77 career record) is the owner of a FIP of 3.59 while he has faced 6,689 opposing hitters in the major leagues. His earned run average is 3.48 (613 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.269. He has given up 1,435 base knocks (8.2 hits per nine innings) and has had 574 walks.

Houston has accounted for 221 long balls for the season to go along with 834 RBIs. They have hit 299 two-baggers, while getting a free base 569 times and racking up 863 runs. The Houston Astros have accounted for an OBP of .339 in addition to a team batting average of .267 this year. The Astros have a team slugging % of .444 and they score 5.33 runs per game (1st in the league). They have struck out on 1,222 occasions (29th in the league) and are sitting with 1,496 hits.

The Astros hold a team WHIP of 1.230 and have a FIP of 4.12 as a squad so far this season. They have a ranking of 5th in the league as a staff in total hits relinquished with 1,229. The Houston pitching staff have relinquished 658 runs for the year while holding a team ERA of 3.76 (604 earned runs surrendered). Their K/BB ratio comes in at 2.65 (1,456 strikeouts vs 549 walks). They have surrendered 187 dingers and they allow 4.10 runs per 9 innings (6th in the league).

With 131 save situations, the Astros have earned 69 holds and also 27 blown saves. Houston has called on relievers to step onto the mound in 61 save opportunities and they have walked away with 34 saves. Their relief pitchers have taken the field 166 times in high leverage situations in addition to 137 occasions with runners on base. Houston bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 36.1% out of their 202 inherited runners. They are ranked 24th in MLB holding a save rate of 55.7%, and they have sent 512 relievers onto the field so far this year.

The Houston Astros have turned 126 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .988 (1st in the majors). The Astros have accrued 1,432 assists, 71 errors and have notched a total of 4,335 putouts so far this year. In their 13,005 innings on the diamond, the Astros hold a defensive efficiency of 71.3% (3rd in MLB).

So far in his pro baseball career, McCullers has given up 566 base knocks while accumulating 750 punch outs in 671 innings. He has given up a total of 266 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.252 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.3. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2.74 and he has gone up against 2,822 opposing hitters in his pro baseball career. McCullers (45-30 career record) has a 3.57 ERA while surrendering 7.6 hits per 9 innings.

Who will win tonight's baseball game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (+140)

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