Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Prediction, 5/20/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics

Date: Thursday, May 20, 2021

Location: RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (+110) Oakland (-141)

Luis Garcia and the Houston Astros (24-18, 2nd in AL West) head to RingCentral Coliseum on Thursday where they'll meet the Oakland Athletics (26-17, 1st in AL West). The Athletics open this matchup at -141 while the Astros are coming in at +110. The total has been set at 8. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Luis Garcia and Cole Irvin.

As a team, the Houston Astros are scoring 5.3 runs per outing, which is 2nd in the league. They have 221 runs scored while having a team OBP of .333. The Astros have compiled 81 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 49 baseballs out of the park. They have amassed 210 RBI's in addition to 385 base knocks for the year, and their team batting average sits at .268. Houston is slugging .434 and have been called out on strikes 295 times, while being walked on 132 occasions.

The Astros have a team ERA of 3.82 so far this year (12th in MLB), and the staff has rung up 374 batters. They have walked 133 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 4.18 as a unit on the campaign. They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.81 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.18. Astros pitchers have surrendered 52 long balls in addition to 166 total runs (11th in baseball).

The Astros have dispatched 128 relief pitchers to the mound for the year. The relievers have inherited 61 runners so far this year with 41.0% of those players earned a run for their team. They have 9 saves on the year and have blown 7 of their 16 save chances. The Astros relief pitchers have a save rate of 56.3% and has entered the game in 37 save situations. The bullpen have recorded 20 holds on the year (16th in the league). Astros relief pitchers have come into the game with opponents on base 36 times as well as having 42 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Astros have turned 72.5% of balls in play into outs in their 3,354 innings on the field, which has them ranked 3rd in MLB. The Houston Astros have notched a total of 1,118 putouts thus far, in addition to 349 assists and 14 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .991 which puts them in 2nd in baseball, and they have twisted 311 double plays.

Garcia has taken the hill for 47 innings and is sitting with 49 K's in his career. His ERA is 3.23 (17 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.077. He has conceded 33 base hits (6.3 hits per nine innings) and has 18 walks. Garcia (1-4 mark in his career) has earned a FIP of 4.40 and he has gone up against 193 opposing batters during his time in the majors.

Oakland has compiled 56 home runs this year to go along with 169 RBIs. They have hit 63 doubles, while taking a walk 150 times as well as recording 181 runs. The Oakland Athletics have an on-base percentage of .309 as well as a team batting average of .224 this year. The Athletics hold a team slugging percentage of .399 and they tally 4.21 runs per contest (18th in the league). They have been called out on strikes on 386 occasions (12th in baseball) and have accounted for 311 hits.

The Athletics hold a team WHIP of 1.288 in addition to having a FIP of 3.93 as a unit on the year. They rank 27th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 371. The Oakland pitching staff have allowed 188 runs this year while having an ERA of 4.13 (174 earned runs surrendered). Their K/BB ratio sits at 3.03 (355 strikeouts against 117 walks). They have relinquished 47 homers and they relinquish 4.46 runs per 9 innings (16th in baseball).

Oakland relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 40.0% out of 55 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have come in 43 times in high leverage situations in addition to 33 occasions with runners on. With 36 save situations, the Athletics have 21 holds in addition to 3 blown saves. They sit at 5th in MLB with a save percentage of 80.0%, and they have dispatched 135 bullpen pitchers to the hill over the course of the season. Oakland has had relief pitchers enter the game in 15 save chances and they have recorded 12 saves.

In their 3,411 innings on the field, the Athletics have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 68.7% (23rd in MLB). The Oakland Athletics have turned 30 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .984 (13th in baseball). The Athletics have racked up 338 assists, 24 errors and have amassed 1,137 putouts so far this season.

Irvin (5-6 career record) holds a 4.84 earned run average while giving up 9.6 hits per nine innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.36 and he has gone up against 398 opposing batters during his pro baseball career. He has given up a total of 50 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.301 and having a FIP of 4.3. So far in his pro baseball career, Irvin has allowed 99 base hits while earning 74 strikeouts in 93 innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Houston (+110)

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