Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros Prediction, 5/14/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros

Date: Friday, May 14, 2021

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Wes Benjamin and the Texas Rangers (18-20, 4th in AL West) travel to Minute Maid Park on Friday where they'll take on the Houston Astros (20-17, 2nd in AL West).

As a squad, the Texas Rangers are knocking in 4.2 runs per game, which ranks them 15th in baseball. They have earned 161 runs scored and hold an OBP of .313. The Rangers have accounted for 42 doubles as a unit and have knocked 47 balls out of the park. They have accumulated 154 runs batted in and 309 hits over the course of the season, while their average at the plate comes in at .243. Texas is slugging .396 and have been called out on strikes 374 times, while drawing a walk on 112 occasions.

The Rangers are sitting with a team earned run average of 4.23 over the course of the season (19th in baseball), and the staff has struck out 330 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 107 players from the other team and their FIP is 4.18 as a unit on the season. Their K/BB ratio is 3.08 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.30. Rangers pitchers have conceded 51 home runs and also 169 total runs (21st in baseball).

The Rangers have dispatched 108 relief pitchers to the mound on the season. The relievers have inherited 41 base runners on the year with 19.5% of those players crossed the plate. They have 11 saves on the year and have not converted 4 of 15 chances to save the game. The Rangers relievers have accumulated a save rate of 73.3% and has come into the game in 27 save situations. The relief pitchers have accumulated 11 holds for the year (26th in baseball). Rangers pitchers have entered the game with opponents on base 26 times as well as having 31 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Rangers have converted 68.5% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 3,030 innings on the field, which has them sitting 25th in professional baseball. The Texas Rangers have a tally of 1,010 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 351 assists and 24 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .983 which puts them in 18th in the majors, and they have twisted 277 double plays.

Benjamin (2-2 career mark) is the owner of a FIP of 5.03 and he has gone up against 123 hitters in the majors. He has given up 28 base knocks (9.0 hits per 9 innings) with 13 walks. His earned run average is 4.82 (15 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.464. Benjamin has pitched in 28 innings and has tallied 26 punch outs during his MLB career.

The Astros have a team SLG% of .434 and they average 5.14 runs per game (3rd in baseball). They have notched 72 two-baggers, while getting a free base 108 times as well as scoring 190 runs. Houston has compiled 45 home runs on the year as well as 182 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 267 occasions (29th in baseball) and are sitting with 330 hits. The Houston Astros have accumulated a team OBP of .325 as well as a team batting average of .262 this season.

The Astros are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.178 with a FIP of 4.11 as a team on the season. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.89 (329 strikeouts against 114 bases on balls). They have a ranking of 13th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 270. They have given up 45 home runs and they relinquish 4.03 runs per 9 innings (11th in MLB). The Houston pitching staff have conceded 146 runs for the season while holding a team ERA of 3.81 (138 earned runs allowed).

Houston has had bullpen pitchers enter the contest in 13 save chances and they have walked away with 8 saves. They sit at 16th in the league with a save percentage of 61.5%, and they have sent 111 relievers onto the diamond on the year. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 31 times in high leverage situations and also on 31 occasions with runners on. Houston bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 41.8% out of their 55 inherited runners. With 30 save situations, the Astros have earned 16 holds and also 5 blown saves.

Out of their 2,934 innings played, the Astros hold a efficiency on defense of 72.3% (3rd in professional baseball). The Houston Astros have twisted 30 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .989 (3rd in baseball). The Astros have accrued 300 assists, 14 errors and have accounted for 978 putouts for the season.

So far in his MLB career, Greinke has conceded 2,776 hits and he has 2,724 strikeouts in 2,983 innings pitched. Greinke (210-127 win-loss record in his career) has a 3.38 ERA and has allowed 8.4 hits per 9 innings. He has surrendered a total of 1,121 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.160 and having a FIP of 3.4. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.97 and he has faced 12,188 opposing hitters in his MLB career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game ATS?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Texas

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here