Houston Astros vs Chicago White Sox Prediction, 7/16/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Chicago White Sox

Date: Friday, July 16, 2021

Location: Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, IL

TV: NBC Sports Chicago

Guaranteed Rate Field is the venue where Lucas Giolito and the Chicago White Sox (54-35, 1st in AL Central) will take on the Houston Astros (55-36, 1st in AL West) on Friday.

The Astros have recorded 169 doubles as a unit and have knocked 116 baseballs out of the park. Houston has a slugging percentage of .439 and have been called out on strikes 672 times, while being walked on 338 occasions. As a team, the Houston Astros are notching 5.5 runs per game, which ranks them 1st in the league. They have amassed 475 runs batted in and 838 hits on the year, while their average at the plate comes in at .269. They have 496 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .344.

The Astros are sitting with a team ERA of 3.60 so far this year (9th in the league), and the staff has rung up 818 batters. They have walked 301 players from the other team and their FIP comes in at 4.05 as a squad this season. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 2.72 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.20. Astros pitchers have yielded 104 home runs and 360 runs in total (9th in the league).

The Astros bullpen have earned a save percentage of 60.0% and has come into the game in 75 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 117 base runners so far this year and 40.2% of those players crossed the plate. Astros relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with opponents on base 77 times and also have had 89 appearances in high leverage situations. The Astros have dispatched 272 relievers to the mound on the campaign. The relievers are sitting with 39 holds this year (20th in baseball). They have earned 21 saves for the season and have missed out on 14 of 35 save chances.

The Houston Astros have accumulated 2,439 putouts this year, as well as 766 assists and 38 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .988 which has them ranked 1st in the majors, and have accumulated 673 double plays. The Astros have turned 72.1% of balls in play into outs out of their 7,317 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 2nd in baseball.

McCullers has thrown 588 innings and is sitting with 654 K's in his pro baseball career. McCullers (38-27 career win-loss mark) has earned a FIP of 3.34 while facing 2,475 opposing hitters during his time in the majors. His ERA is 3.59 (235 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.258. He has allowed 501 hits (7.7 hits per nine innings) and has 239 free passes.

The White Sox hold a team SLG% of .417 and they earn 5.12 runs per contest (3rd in MLB). They have notched 155 doubles, while taking a walk 343 times and putting up 456 runs. Chicago has tallied 92 HRs for the year as well as 428 RBIs. They have been called out on strikes on 786 instances (18th in baseball) and have earned 751 base hits. The Chicago White Sox hold a team on-base percentage of .341 and a batting average of .257 this season.

The Chicago pitching staff have conceded 339 runs on the campaign while holding a team ERA of 3.58 (305 earned runs conceded). They have allowed 98 homers and they give up 3.98 runs per 9 innings (8th in the league). The White Sox have a team WHIP of 1.211 and have a FIP of 3.68 as a squad on the year. Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 3.29 (885 strikeouts against 269 bases on balls). They are currently ranked 5th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 659.

With 92 save situations, the White Sox have amassed 48 holds and 15 blown saves. Chicago has had relievers enter the game in 41 save chances and they have come away with 26 saves. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 85 times in high leverage situations and on 76 occasions with runners on. Chicago bullpen pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 31.0% out of their 126 inherited runners. They sit at 13th in baseball with a save rate of 63.4%, and they have sent 264 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond on the season.

In their 6,900 innings played, the White Sox have accumulated a efficiency on defense of 69.0% (22nd in MLB). The Chicago White Sox have turned 59 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .981 (28th in pro baseball). The White Sox have accrued 656 assists, 58 errors and have a tally of 2,300 putouts so far this season.

Giolito (38-35 career win-loss mark) is the owner of a 4.39 ERA and has surrendered 7.4 hits per 9 innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.67 and he has faced 2,473 hitters so far in his career. He has allowed a total of 289 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.218 and a FIP of 4.4. Thus far in his career, Giolito has allowed 490 base hits while he has totaled 620 K's in 593 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Houston

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