Houston Astros vs Cleveland Guardians Prediction, 8/4/2022 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Cleveland Guardians

Date: Thursday, August 4, 2022

Location: Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH

TV: Bally Sports Great Lakes

The Cleveland Guardians (53-50) will try to defeat the Houston Astros (67-38) at Progressive Field on Thursday. The pitchers taking the mound are Justin Verlander and Zach Plesac.

The Astros have compiled 180 doubles as a squad and have knocked 146 balls out of the park. Houston is slugging .422 and have been rung up 785 times, while being walked on 364 occasions. As a squad, the Houston Astros are putting up 4.4 runs per game, which ranks them 14th in the league. They have accrued 449 runs batted in as well as 836 base knocks so far this year, while their average at the plate is at .240. They have notched a total of 464 runs scored and have an on-base percentage of .317.

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The Astros have an earned run average of 3.03 on the campaign (2nd in baseball), and the staff has rung up 940 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 298 opposing players and their FIP sits at 3.49 as a team so far this year. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.15 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.09. Astros pitchers have surrendered 92 home runs and also 351 runs (2nd in the league).

Astros bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 68 times and also have had 102 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have a total of 64 holds so far this season (6th in the league). The Astros relief pitchers have accumulated a save percentage of 73.8% and has come into the game in 106 save situations. They have earned 31 saves for the season and have blown 11 of their 42 save chances. The relief pitchers have inherited 101 base runners for the season with 27.7% of them earned a run for their team. The Astros have dispatched 306 relievers to the hill so far this year.

The Houston Astros have accounted for 2,603 putouts this year, in addition to 755 assists and 50 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .985 which has them ranked 14th in the majors, and have accumulated 71 double plays. The Astros have turned 72.4% of balls in play into outs out of 7,809 innings, which ranks them 1st in professional baseball.

Verlander (240-132 career win-loss mark) has earned a FIP of 3.40 and he has gone up against 12,691 opposing hitters in the majors. He has surrendered 2,624 hits (7.6 hits per 9 innings) and has had 873 walks. His ERA is 3.27 (1,130 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.124. Verlander has thrown 3,112 innings and has accounted for 3,135 K's in his career.

The Guardians have a team slugging % of .387 and they average 4.40 runs per contest (16th in the league). They have put up 192 doubles, while getting a free base 296 times and putting up 453 runs. Cleveland has hit 82 home runs for the season to go along with 431 RBIs. They have been rung up on 727 instances (30th in the league) and have notched a total of 885 hits. The Cleveland Guardians are sitting with a team OBP of .315 in addition to a team batting average of .252 over the course of the season.

The Guardians have a team WHIP of 1.235 in addition to having a FIP of 4.00 as a pitching staff this season. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.83 (840 strikeouts against 297 walks). They rank 12th in the league as a staff in total hits surrendered with 828. They have allowed 113 homers and they allow 4.35 runs per 9 innings (17th in the league). The Cleveland pitching staff have given up 440 runs so far this season while holding a team ERA of 3.89 (394 earned runs surrendered).

With 69 save situations, the Guardians have tallied 28 holds and also 12 blown saves. Cleveland has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the mound in 38 save chances and they have earned 26 saves. Their relief pitchers have come in 102 times in high leverage situations and on 84 occasions with runners on base. Cleveland relief pitchers have an inherited score rate of 30.3% out of their 119 inherited base runners. They are currently ranked 11th in MLB holding a save percentage of 68.4%, and they have sent 316 relievers onto the diamond over the course of the season.

The Cleveland Guardians have turned 77 double plays and have a fielding rate of .984 (20th in the majors). The Guardians have racked up 877 assists, 57 errors and have 2,545 putouts this season. In their 7,635 innings on the field, the Guardians hold a defensive efficiency of 70.0% (12th in MLB).

So far in his career, Plesac has allowed 383 base hits while he has tallied 324 strikeouts in 417 frames. He has given up 187 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.176 and having a FIP of 4.5. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.00 and he has faced 1,725 opposing batters so far in his pro baseball career. Plesac (24-23 career mark) has earned a 4.03 ERA and has allowed 8.3 hits per nine innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Houston

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