Houston Astros vs Los Angeles Angels Prediction, 9/23/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Los Angeles Angels

Date: Thursday, September 23, 2021

Location: Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA

TV: Bally Sports West

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-208) Los Angeles (+150)

Alex Cobb and the Los Angeles Angels (72-79, 4th in AL West) host the Houston Astros (90-61, 1st in AL West) at Angel Stadium on Thursday. The line on this contest has the Astros coming in at -208 and the Angels are at +150. The over/under has been set at 7.5. The pitchers who are expected to start are Lance McCullers Jr and Alex Cobb.

As a squad, the Houston Astros are earning 5.4 runs per game, which ranks them 1st in baseball. They have 816 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .342. The Astros have tallied 288 doubles as a squad and have hit 203 balls out of the stadium. They have accounted for 787 runs batted in and 1,410 base knocks on the campaign, and their team batting average is sitting at .270. Houston has a slugging percentage of .447 and have been rung up 1,138 times, while taking a walk on 535 occasions.

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The Astros have compiled a team earned run average of 3.68 this year (4th in MLB), and their staff has struck out 1,367 hitters. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.72 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.22. Astros pitchers have conceded 175 long balls and 600 total runs (4th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 503 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.08 as a unit on the season.

Astros bullpen pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 126 times and also have had 151 appearances in high leverage situations. The bullpen have notched 64 holds on the season (27th in the league). The Astros bullpen have accumulated a save rate of 58.9% and has stepped onto the mound in 121 save situations. They have recorded 33 saves for the season and have missed out on 23 out of their 56 save opportunities. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 183 runners this year with 35.5% of those players crossed home plate. The Astros have sent 474 relievers to the mound over the course of the season.

The Astros have turned 71.5% of balls hit into play into outs in their 12,117 innings on the diamond, which has them ranked 3rd in baseball. The Houston Astros have accumulated 4,039 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 1,324 assists and 61 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .989 which has them ranked 1st in MLB, and they have turned 1,080 double plays.

McCullers (44-29 mark in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 3.33 and he has gone up against 2,777 hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has conceded 561 hits (7.7 hits per nine innings) and has had 269 free passes. His earned run average is 3.56 (261 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.259. McCullers has thrown 659 innings and is sitting with 741 strikeouts in his career.

The Los Angeles Angels have compiled an OBP of .308 and a team batting average of .245 this season. They have been rung up on 1,313 instances (14th in baseball) and have recorded 1,243 hits. Los Angeles has compiled 182 home runs so far this year as well as 635 RBIs. The Angels have a team slugging % of .409 and they tally 4.42 runs per contest (17th in the league). They have hit 248 doubles, while getting a free base 416 times as well as scoring 667 runs.

The Los Angeles pitching staff have allowed 757 runs on the campaign while having a team ERA of 4.74 (696 earned runs conceded). They have surrendered 180 homers and they allow 5.15 runs per 9 innings (23rd in MLB). The Angels hold a team WHIP of 1.393 in addition to having a FIP of 4.28 as a pitching staff so far this season. Their K/BB ratio is 2.46 (1,370 strikeouts against 558 bases on balls). They come in at 23rd in baseball as a staff in total hits conceded with 1,284.

Los Angeles has called on relievers to take the mound in 60 save chances and they have recorded 37 saves. They are ranked 16th in the league with a save percentage of 61.7%, and they have sent 516 relievers onto the diamond for the year. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 154 times in high leverage situations and also on 220 occasions with base runners. Los Angeles bullpen pitchers have an inherited score rate of 38.2% out of their 335 inherited runners. With 128 save situations, the Angels have accrued 66 holds and 23 blown saves.

Out of their 11,904 innings played, the Angels are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 67.8% (29th in the majors). The Los Angeles Angels have turned 123 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .984 (19th in MLB). The Angels have recorded 1,309 assists, 85 errors and have notched a total of 3,968 putouts for the season.

In his career, Cobb has surrendered 967 hits while earning 807 K's in 999 frames. He has given up a total of 428 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.262 and a FIP of 3.9. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.74 and he has gone up against 4,190 batters in his pro baseball career. Cobb (63-60 record in his career) has a 3.85 ERA while allowing 8.7 hits per nine innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game ATS?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Houston (-208)

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