Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers Prediction, 8/28/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers

Date: Saturday, August 28, 2021

Location: Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX

TV: Bally Sports Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-256) Texas (+190)

Globe Life Field is the venue where Kolby Allard and the Texas Rangers (44-83, 5th in AL West) will take on the Houston Astros (75-52, 1st in AL West) on Saturday. The line on this game has the Astros coming in at -256 and the Rangers are at +190. The O/U is set at 8. The pitchers who are expected to start are Framber Valdez and Kolby Allard.

As a unit, the Houston Astros are scoring 5.4 runs/g, which is 1st in MLB. They have notched a total of 683 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .340. The Astros have accrued 240 two-baggers as a team and have hit 166 baseballs out of the stadium. They have 656 RBI's as well as 1,171 base knocks this year, while their batting average is .268. Houston has a slugging % of .442 and have been called out on strikes 964 times, while drawing a walk on 450 occasions.

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Astros pitchers have relinquished 149 long balls and also 500 runs in total (4th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 416 hitters and their FIP is 4.08 as a team this year. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 2.78 and their pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.21. The Astros hold a team ERA of 3.61 on the campaign (4th in baseball), and the staff has rung up 1,158 batters.

The Astros relief pitchers have a save percentage of 57.8% and has come into the game in 99 save situations. The relievers have inherited 159 runners for the season with 35.8% of them ended up scoring. Astros bullpen pitchers have come into the game with opponents on base 108 times in addition to having 117 appearances in high leverage situations. The Astros have dispatched 386 relievers to the mound for the year. The bullpen have racked up 53 holds over the course of the season (23rd in the league). They have recorded 26 saves so far this season and have blown 19 of 45 chances to get a save.

The Astros have converted 71.8% of balls in play into outs out of their 10,197 innings, which ranks them 2nd in the majors. The Houston Astros have amassed 3,399 putouts over the course of the season, in addition to 1,102 assists and 49 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .989 which is 1st in MLB, and they have twisted 921 double plays.

Valdez has taken the mound for 276 innings and is sitting with 270 strikeouts in his pro baseball career. His ERA is 3.75 (115 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.328. He has given up 241 base knocks (7.8 hits per nine innings) with 126 free passes. Valdez (21-15 career record) has a FIP of 3.94 and he has gone up against 1,187 hitters during his time in the major leagues.

The Rangers have a team slugging percentage of .373 and they are recording 3.81 runs per outing (28th in the league). They have 171 doubles, while getting a free base 343 times as well as scoring 484 runs. Texas has accumulated 137 home runs this season to go along with 459 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 1,100 occasions (18th in baseball) and have notched a total of 958 base hits. The Texas Rangers hold an on-base percentage of .291 as well as a batting average of .227 on the season.

The Rangers hold a team WHIP of 1.353 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.75 as a squad for the year. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.46 (985 strikeouts vs 400 free passes). They have a ranking of 27th in MLB as a staff in total hits surrendered with 1,111. They have conceded 185 long balls and they concede 5.13 runs per 9 innings (25th in baseball). The Texas pitching staff have given up 637 runs for the season and come in with a team ERA of 4.74 (588 earned runs allowed).

Texas has had relief pitchers step onto the mound in 38 save chances and they have come away with 21 saves. They sit at 24th in the league with a save rate of 55.3%, and they have dispatched 389 relief pitchers to the hill for the year. Their relief pitchers have come in 106 times in high leverage situations and on 113 occasions with base runners. Texas relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 33.5% out of their 173 inherited runners. With 81 save situations, the Rangers have accumulated 42 holds and also 17 blown saves.

In 10,056 innings on the diamond, the Rangers have accumulated a efficiency on defense of 69.5% (17th in the majors). The Texas Rangers have twisted 112 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .985 (13th in the majors). The Rangers have recorded 1,154 assists, 67 errors and have a tally of 3,352 putouts during this campaign.

Allard (8-19 career win-loss mark) holds a 5.73 earned run average while giving up 9.6 hits per 9 innings. His K/BB ratio is 2.38 and he has faced 828 batters so far in his career. He has given up 119 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.412 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.8. In his pro baseball career, Allard has given up 200 hits while he has tallied 152 K's in 187 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Texas (+190)

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