Oakland Athletics vs Houston Astros Prediction, 9/18/2022 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Oakland Athletics vs Houston Astros

Date: Sunday, September 18, 2022

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Oakland (+330) Houston (-410)

Minute Maid Park is the location where the Houston Astros (95-50) will attempt to defeat the Oakland Athletics (52-93) on Sunday. The moneyline on this contest has the Athletics at +330 while the Astros are sitting at -410. The over/under is 9. The pitchers who are expected to start are Ken Waldichuk and Framber Valdez.

As a team, the Oakland Athletics are scoring 3.5 runs per contest, which has them sitting at 29th in MLB. They have earned 503 runs scored and have an on-base percentage of .280. The Athletics have accounted for 225 two-baggers as a team and have hit 123 balls out of the park. They have earned 474 runs batted in and 1,027 base knocks this season, and their batting average is at .216. Oakland is slugging .345 and have struck out 1,251 times, while taking a walk on 381 occasions.

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The Athletics have compiled a team ERA of 4.52 on the campaign (25th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 1,069 hitters. They have a K/BB ratio of 2.31 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.33. Athletics pitchers have given up 176 home runs and also 688 runs in total (24th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 462 batters and their FIP comes in at 4.46 as a unit for the season.

The Athletics have sent 478 relief pitchers to the hill over the course of the season. The relief pitchers have inherited 238 runners on the year and 28.6% of those players ended up crossing the plate. They have 30 saves on the campaign and have blown 23 of their 53 save opportunities. The Athletics bullpen have recorded a save percentage of 56.6% and has stepped onto the mound in 153 save situations. The bullpen are sitting with 98 holds on the season (2nd in the league). Athletics pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on base 167 times in addition to having 151 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Oakland Athletics have amassed 3,830 putouts on the year, in addition to 1,309 assists and 82 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .984 which is 20th in the majors, and have earned 117 double plays. The Athletics have turned 69.9% of balls hit into play into outs out of 11,490 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 15th in MLB.

Waldichuk has pitched in 15 innings and has accounted for 14 punch outs so far in his career. Waldichuk (0-1 record in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 5.04 while he has gone up against 67 hitters in the majors. His ERA is 5.40 (9 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.400. He has surrendered 16 hits (9.6 hits per nine innings) and has 5 walks.

Houston has a total of 192 long balls this season and 637 runs batted in. They have recorded 253 doubles, while taking a walk 490 times and scoring 657 runs. The Houston Astros have recorded an on-base percentage of .320 in addition to a team batting average of .246 so far this season. The Astros have a team SLG% of .422 and they score 4.53 runs per contest (9th in baseball). They have been called out on strikes on 1,071 occasions (28th in the league) and have 1,190 hits.

The Houston pitching staff have given up 464 runs on the year while holding a team ERA of 2.91 (418 earned runs given up). They have conceded 120 dingers and they give up 3.23 runs per 9 innings (2nd in the league). The Astros have a team WHIP of 1.092 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.33 as a squad this season. Their K/BB ratio is 3.27 (1,342 strikeouts against 411 walks). They are currently ranked 2nd in baseball as a staff in total hits surrendered with 999.

Houston relievers have an inherited score rate of 28.0% out of their 132 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 145 times in high leverage situations and on 92 occasions with base runners. With 153 save situations, the Astros have accrued 92 holds in addition to 14 blown saves. They sit at 2nd in baseball holding a save percentage of 77.0%, and they have dispatched 424 bullpen pitchers onto the field for the season. Houston has had relief pitchers enter the contest in 61 save opportunities and they have walked away with 47 saves.

The Houston Astros have turned 111 double plays and have a fielding rate of .987 (7th in the majors). The Astros have racked up 1,139 assists, 64 errors and are sitting with 3,874 putouts so far this season. In their 11,622 innings played, the Astros hold a defensive efficiency of 72.1% (2nd in baseball).

Valdez (39-22 career win-loss mark) is the owner of a 3.29 earned run average while conceding 7.5 hits per nine innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.33 and he has faced 2,072 hitters during his pro baseball career. He has conceded a total of 180 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.240 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.7. So far in his MLB career, Valdez has surrendered 408 hits while totaling 472 punch outs in 492 frames.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Oakland (+330)

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