Minnesota Twins vs Houston Astros Prediction, 8/23/2022 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Minnesota Twins vs Houston Astros

Date: Tuesday, August 23, 2022

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

The Minnesota Twins (62-57) are traveling to Minute Maid Park on Tuesday where they will take on the Houston Astros (78-45). The pitchers taking the mound will be Anibal Sanchez and Justin Verlander.

Minnesota has a slugging % of .412 and have been called out on strikes 965 times, while being walked on 385 occasions. They have 508 runs batted in as well as 1,005 base knocks this year, while their team batting average comes in at .250. The Twins have compiled 198 doubles as a team and have hit 144 baseballs out of the park. They have notched a total of 527 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .319. As a squad, the Minnesota Twins are recording 4.4 runs per game, which has them at 14th in baseball.

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The Twins have compiled a team ERA of 3.95 so far this season (18th in baseball), and the staff has struck out 992 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 351 batters and their FIP sits at 4.09 as a unit on the season. They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.83 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.24. Twins pitchers have yielded 141 home runs in addition to 502 runs in total (12th in MLB).

The Twins have dispatched 410 relief pitchers to the mound for the season. The relief pitchers have inherited 138 runners for the season with 31.2% of those players ended up crossing the plate. They have tallied 23 saves this season and have blown 22 of their 45 chances to save the game. The Twins bullpen have recorded a save percentage of 51.1% and stepped onto the hill in 130 save situations. The bullpen have 84 holds on the campaign (3rd in the league). Twins relief pitchers have come into the game with players on base 96 times in addition to having 132 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Minnesota Twins have amassed 3,171 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 957 assists and 58 errors. Their fielding rate is at .986 which puts them in 11th in professional baseball, and they have twisted 85 double plays. The Twins have converted 70.6% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 9,513 innings on the field, which has them ranked 7th in the majors.

Sanchez (112-118 career mark) has a FIP of 4.00 while he has faced 8,468 opposing batters during his time in the major leagues. He has given up 1,940 base hits (8.8 hits per nine innings) and has had 669 walks. His ERA is 4.09 (902 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.315. Sanchez has taken the ball for 1,983 innings and has tallied 1,752 K's so far in his pro baseball career.

The Houston Astros have earned an OBP of .319 in addition to a batting average of .246 on the year. They have struck out on 917 instances (28th in MLB) and have earned 1,011 base hits. Houston has tallied 166 long balls on the campaign as well as 550 runs batted in. The Astros hold a team SLG% of .424 and they earn 4.59 runs per game (8th in baseball). They have put up 216 doubles, while taking a walk 414 times and racking up 565 runs.

The Astros are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.120 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.48 as a pitching staff on the campaign. They are sitting at 2nd in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 866. The Houston pitching staff have yielded 414 runs this season while having an ERA of 3.08 (373 earned runs yielded). Their strikeout to walk ratio is 3.10 (1,096 strikeouts vs 354 free passes). They have given up 104 HR's and they concede 3.42 runs per 9 innings (2nd in the league).

Houston relievers have an inherited score percentage of 30.8% out of 117 inherited runners. Their relievers have come in 118 times in high leverage situations and also on 79 occasions with runners on. With 122 save situations, the Astros have earned 72 holds and also 14 blown saves. They are ranked 4th in the league with a save rate of 72.0%, and they have dispatched 356 relievers onto the field this season. Houston has had relievers step onto the hill in 50 save chances and they have walked away with 36 saves.

The Houston Astros have turned 96 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .987 (10th in pro baseball). The Astros have 963 assists, 57 errors and have earned a total of 3,269 putouts so far this year. In their 9,807 innings on the field, the Astros hold a efficiency on defense of 71.9% (3rd in pro baseball).

So far in his career, Verlander has allowed 2,639 hits and he has 3,151 strikeouts in 3,131 frames. Verlander (241-132 career record) has a 3.27 earned run average while allowing 7.6 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 1,136 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.123 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.4. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.60 and he has faced 12,765 opposing hitters during his pro baseball career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Houston

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