Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros Prediction, 5/16/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros

Date: Sunday, May 16, 2021

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Lance McCullers Jr and the Houston Astros (21-17, 2nd in AL West) play the Texas Rangers (18-21, 4th in AL West) at Minute Maid Park on Sunday.

The Rangers have accounted for 42 two-baggers as a team and have hit 48 baseballs out of the park. Texas is slugging .390 and have been rung up 386 times, while taking a walk on 118 occasions. As a squad, the Texas Rangers are putting up 4.2 runs per contest, which puts them at 15th in baseball. They have recorded 157 runs batted in as well as 313 base knocks so far this year, and their team batting average is sitting at .240. They have racked up 164 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .311.

The Rangers are sitting with a team ERA of 4.17 so far this season (18th in baseball), and their staff has struck out 338 hitters. They have walked 114 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.17 as a unit on the season. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.96 and the pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.31. Rangers pitchers have allowed 51 home runs and 173 runs in total (21st in MLB).

The Rangers have dispatched 113 relief pitchers to the mound on the year. The relief pitchers have inherited 41 runners over the course of the season with 19.5% of them ended up crossing the plate. They have recorded 11 saves over the course of the season and have blown 4 of 15 save opportunities. The Rangers bullpen have earned a save rate of 73.3% and has come into the game in 27 save situations. The relievers have a total of 11 holds over the course of the season (26th in baseball). Rangers relief pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 28 times in addition to having 35 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Rangers have converted 68.4% of balls in play into outs out of their 3,126 innings on the field, which has them sitting 25th in pro baseball. The Texas Rangers have 1,042 putouts over the course of the season, in addition to 363 assists and 24 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .983 which ranks 16th in professional baseball, and they have turned 282 double plays.

Gibson has thrown 1,201 innings and has earned 944 strikeouts thus far in his career. Gibson (72-74 mark in his career) has a FIP of 4.31 while he has gone up against 5,182 batters in the major leagues. His earned run average is 4.48 (598 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.403. He has conceded 1,249 hits (9.4 hits per nine innings) and has 437 free passes.

Houston has compiled 45 home runs over the course of the season as well as 185 runs batted in. They have 76 doubles, while taking a walk 115 times and putting up 194 runs. The Houston Astros have a team OBP of .327 as well as a batting average of .263 on the year. The Astros hold a slugging % of .433 and they average 5.11 runs per game (3rd in baseball). They have been rung up on 275 occasions (29th in the league) and have recorded 341 hits.

The Houston pitching staff have conceded 149 runs this year while having an ERA of 3.77 (141 earned runs relinquished). They have conceded 46 HR's and they concede 3.98 runs per 9 innings (10th in the league). The Astros are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.169 with a FIP of 4.11 as a team this season. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.84 (341 strikeouts vs 120 bases on balls). They sit at 13th in MLB as a staff in total hits surrendered with 274.

Houston bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 41.8% of 55 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have taken the field 35 times in high leverage situations and on 33 occasions with runners on. With 30 save situations, the Astros have recorded 16 holds and also 5 blown saves. They are ranked 17th in the league with a save percentage of 61.5%, and they have sent 115 relievers onto the diamond so far this year. Houston has had bullpen pitchers enter the game in 13 save chances and they have converted 8 saves.

Out of their 3,033 innings on the diamond, the Astros have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 72.7% (3rd in the majors). The Houston Astros have turned 31 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .990 (3rd in MLB). The Astros have accrued 310 assists, 14 errors and have 1,011 putouts for the year.

During his MLB career, McCullers has given up 467 hits while he has totaled 612 strikeouts in 549 innings pitched. McCullers (35-26 win-loss mark in his career) is the owner of a 3.65 ERA and has surrendered 7.7 hits per nine innings. He has surrendered 223 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.247 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.3. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.81 and he has gone up against 2,303 opposing hitters in his pro baseball career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Texas

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