Boston Red Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction, 8/21/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Boston Red Sox vs Houston Astros

Date: Monday, August 21, 2023

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Boston (-118) Houston (-102)

The Boston Red Sox (65-58) are en route to Minute Maid Park on Monday where they will compete against the Houston Astros (70-54). The line on this contest has Boston at -118 while Houston is opening at -102. The total comes in at 9. The starting pitchers will be Tanner Houck and Jose Urquidy.

The Red Sox have tallied 264 doubles as a squad and have hit 141 baseballs out of the park. Boston has a slugging rate of .433 and have been rung up 1,001 times, while being walked on 370 occasions. As a team, the Boston Red Sox are putting up 4.9 runs per outing, which has them sitting at 6th in the league. They have accounted for 576 RBI's in addition to 1,100 base knocks for the year, while their average at the plate comes in at .262. They are sitting with 601 runs while having a team OBP of .327.

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The Red Sox hold a team ERA of 4.34 so far this year (18th in the league), and the staff has rung up 1,061 batters. Red Sox pitchers have conceded 160 home runs and also 566 runs in total (18th in MLB). They have walked 349 players from the other team and their FIP sits at 4.36 as a unit so far this year. Boston has given up 1,065 base hits (8.8 per 9 innings) as well as 524 earned runs. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.04 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.30.

The Red Sox have dispatched 386 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year. The relievers have inherited 129 base runners so far this season and 29.5% of those runners ended up crossing the plate. They have accumulated 36 saves so far this year and have blown 10 out of their 46 save opportunities. The Red Sox relievers have compiled a save rate of 78.3% and has entered the game in 105 save situations. The bullpen have tallied 58 holds so far this year (24th in baseball). Red Sox bullpen pitchers have come into the game with opponents on base 85 times as well as having 109 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Red Sox have turned 68.0% of balls hit into play into outs in their 9,774 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 26th in pro baseball. The Boston Red Sox are sitting with 3,258 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 1,096 assists and 85 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .981 which ranks 30th in baseball, and they have turned 111 double plays.

Houck (12-15 mark in his career) has a FIP of 3.35 while going up against 880 opposing batters in the major leagues. He has given up 174 hits (7.3 hits per 9 innings) and has had 75 walks. His earned run average is 3.66 (87 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.165. Houck has pitched in 213 innings and has 228 K's during his pro baseball career.

Houston has a total of 162 home runs for the season and 582 runs batted in. They have recorded 201 doubles, while walking 417 times and scoring 602 runs. The Houston Astros have a team OBP of .324 and a team batting average of .251 for the year. The Astros have a SLG% of .419 and they are recording 4.85 runs per contest (8th in the league). They have been rung up on 974 occasions (27th in MLB) and have notched a total of 1,058 hits.

The Houston pitching staff have surrendered 521 runs for the year while having a team ERA of 3.82 (469 earned runs yielded). They have relinquished 151 homers and they relinquish 4.24 runs per 9 innings (9th in baseball). The Astros hold a team WHIP of 1.268 with a FIP of 4.27 as a staff this year. They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 9.10 (1,113 strikeouts vs 400 bases on balls). They sit at 11th in baseball as a staff in total hits conceded with 1,001.

Sitting with 120 save situations, the Astros have accumulated 66 holds and 16 blown saves. Houston has called on relievers to step onto the hill in 53 save opportunities and they have walked away with 37 saves. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 126 times in high leverage situations and on 73 occasions with base runners. Houston relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 31.4% out of their 121 inherited base runners. They sit at 4th in the league holding a save rate of 69.8%, and they have sent 389 relievers to the hill for the year.

In 9,951 innings played, the Astros have earned a defensive efficiency of 69.6% (10th in the majors). The Houston Astros have gotten 117 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .985 (16th in pro baseball). The Astros have accrued 1,062 assists, 65 errors and are sitting with 3,317 putouts on the season.

During his career, Urquidy has allowed 340 hits and he has 312 strikeouts in 378 innings pitched. Urquidy (26-16 career win-loss record) is the owner of a 3.90 ERA and has allowed 8.1 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed 164 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.124 and a FIP of 4.4. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.67 and he has gone up against 1,544 opposing hitters during his pro baseball career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Boston (-118)

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