Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros Prediction, 10/2/2022 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros

Date: Sunday, October 2, 2022

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (+135) Houston (-155)

The Tampa Bay Rays (86-71) are traveling to Minute Maid Park on Sunday where they will attempt to defeat the Houston Astros (102-55). The moneyline on this contest has the Rays at +135 while the Astros are priced at -155. The betting total comes in at 7.5. The starting pitchers are Corey Kluber and Luis Garcia.

Tampa Bay has a slugging % of .379 and have been called out on strikes 1,353 times, while being walked on 483 occasions. They have amassed 626 RBI's and 1,270 hits so far this year, while their team batting average sits at .241. The Rays have accumulated 290 doubles as a team and have knocked 135 balls out of the stadium. They have earned 658 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .310. As a squad, the Tampa Bay Rays are notching 4.2 runs per game, which ranks them 21st in the league.

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The Rays are sitting with a team ERA of 3.38 so far this year (4th in the league), and they have struck out 1,351 batters. They have a K/BB ratio of 3.62 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.14. Rays pitchers have allowed 168 long balls and also 593 total runs (7th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 373 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 3.68 as a team on the year.

The Rays bullpen have earned a save percentage of 55.0% and has entered the game in 198 save situations. The relievers have inherited 177 runners on the year and 25.4% of those runners ended up crossing the plate. Rays bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with opponents on base 134 times as well as having 197 appearances in high leverage situations. The Rays have sent 562 relievers to the hill on the year. The relief pitchers have 116 holds on the season (1st in the league). They have tallied 44 saves on the year and have blown 36 of 80 chances to save the game.

The Tampa Bay Rays have accounted for 4,197 putouts this year, as well as 1,346 assists and 81 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .986 which has them ranked 13th in baseball, and have a total of 107 double plays. The Rays have transformed 71.0% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 12,591 innings, which ranks them 4th in MLB.

Kluber has taken the hill for 1,581 innings and has accounted for 1,679 strikeouts so far in his career. His ERA is 3.31 (582 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.111. He has given up 1,411 hits (8.0 hits per 9 innings) with 346 walks. Kluber (113-70 win-loss mark in his career) has earned a FIP of 3.09 and he has gone up against 6,410 batters in the majors.

The Astros have a team slugging % of .423 and they are earning 4.58 runs per game (8th in MLB). They have tallied 274 two-baggers, while taking a walk 520 times as well as putting up 719 runs. Houston has compiled 209 HRs this year to go along with 698 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 1,146 occasions (29th in the league) and have tallied 1,294 hits. The Houston Astros have earned an on-base percentage of .319 as well as a batting average of .247 so far this season.

The Astros have a team WHIP of 1.098 and have a FIP of 3.31 as a squad on the campaign. They are currently ranked 2nd in the league as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 1,095. The Houston pitching staff have surrendered 511 runs on the season while having an ERA of 2.94 (458 earned runs relinquished). They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.31 (1,463 strikeouts against 442 walks). They have surrendered 131 homers and they relinquish 3.28 runs per 9 innings (2nd in the league).

Houston bullpen pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 27.4% of 146 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have come in 157 times in high leverage situations and also on 102 occasions with runners on. With 160 save situations, the Astros have accumulated 94 holds and also 16 blown saves. They sit at 2nd in baseball with a save percentage of 75.8%, and they have dispatched 464 relief pitchers onto the diamond this season. Houston has had relievers enter the game in 66 save opportunities and they have walked away with 50 saves.

The Houston Astros have gotten 119 double plays and have a fielding rate of .987 (7th in baseball). The Astros have recorded 1,245 assists, 72 errors and have earned 4,201 putouts on the season. In 12,603 innings on the diamond, the Astros have earned a efficiency on defense of 71.8% (3rd in baseball).

In his pro baseball career, Garcia has given up 268 base knocks while tallying 329 punch outs in 319 frames. He has given up a total of 128 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.157 and a FIP of 3.8. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.26 and he has faced 1,304 hitters during his pro baseball career. Garcia (25-17 career win-loss record) is the owner of a 3.61 earned run average and has allowed 7.6 hits per 9 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (+135)

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