Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction, 6/17/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros

Date: Thursday, June 17, 2021

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (+125) Houston (-156)

Jose Urquidy and the Houston Astros (38-28, 2nd in AL West) host the Chicago White Sox (42-25, 1st in AL Central) at Minute Maid Park on Thursday. The White Sox open this game at +125 while the Astros are priced at -156. The O/U opens at 9. The starting pitchers are Dylan Cease and Jose Urquidy.

Chicago has a slugging rate of .406 and have been called out on strikes 586 times, while being walked on 260 occasions. They have accrued 307 runs batted in in addition to 552 base knocks over the course of the season, while their team batting average is .254. The White Sox have tallied 108 two-baggers as a squad and have knocked 66 baseballs out of the stadium. They have accounted for 333 runs scored while having a team on-base percentage of .340. As a squad, the Chicago White Sox are notching 5.0 runs per outing, which is 6th in the league.

The White Sox have compiled a team earned run average of 3.14 for the season (3rd in MLB), and their staff has rung up 670 batters. Their K/BB ratio is 3.56 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.14. White Sox pitchers have given up 70 home runs and 227 runs in total (2nd in baseball). They have walked 188 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 3.49 as a team on the campaign.

The White Sox have dispatched 189 relievers to the hill this year. The relief pitchers have inherited 95 base runners over the course of the season and 31.6% of them crossed home plate. They have accumulated 20 saves for the season and have blown 12 of 32 save opportunities. The White Sox relief pitchers have a save percentage of 62.5% and has entered the game in 67 save situations. The relievers have racked up 32 holds on the year (14th in MLB). White Sox bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with opponents on base 56 times as well as having 64 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Chicago White Sox have amassed 1,729 putouts this year, as well as 491 assists and 45 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .980 which has them sitting 28th in pro baseball, and they have turned 455 double plays. The White Sox have converted 69.9% of balls hit into play into outs in their 5,187 innings on the field, which has them ranked 12th in pro baseball.

Cease has taken the hill for 198 frames and has racked up 210 punch outs so far in his MLB career. His ERA is 4.45 (98 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.424. He has surrendered 184 hits (8.4 hits per 9 innings) and has had 98 free passes. Cease (14-13 win-loss record in his career) has earned a FIP of 4.89 while going up against 867 batters in the major leagues.

The Astros hold a slugging % of .445 and they are recording 5.52 runs per contest (1st in the league). They have put up 133 two-baggers, while getting a free base 231 times as well as racking up 364 runs. Houston has a total of 83 home runs this year as well as 345 RBIs. They have struck out on 477 occasions (30th in MLB) and have tallied 628 hits. The Houston Astros have accumulated a team on-base percentage of .344 in addition to a team batting average of .274 on the year.

The Houston pitching staff have conceded 275 runs on the campaign while having an ERA of 3.74 (246 earned runs surrendered). They have surrendered 83 long balls and they yield 4.19 runs per 9 innings (12th in the league). The Astros are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.189 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.26 as a squad for the season. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 2.71 (586 strikeouts against 216 bases on balls). They sit at 9th in the league as a staff in total hits conceded with 487.

Houston relief pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 40.6% of 96 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 68 times in high leverage situations and on 61 occasions with runners on. With 54 save situations, the Astros have 27 holds and also 12 blown saves. They are currently ranked 26th in baseball with a save percentage of 53.8%, and they have dispatched 201 relievers to the mound on the season. Houston has had relief pitchers step onto the mound in 26 save opportunities and they have earned 14 saves.

The Houston Astros have twisted 49 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .989 (2nd in pro baseball). The Astros have 572 assists, 27 errors and have earned a total of 1,775 putouts over the course of the season. Out of their 5,325 innings played, the Astros have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 72.8% (1st in pro baseball).

So far in his career, Urquidy has allowed 113 hits while he has tallied 112 punch outs in 132 frames. Urquidy (7-5 career record) has earned a 3.60 earned run average while allowing 7.7 hits per nine innings. He has given up 53 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.048 and a FIP of 4.2. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 4.31 and he has gone up against 530 batters in his career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (+125)

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