Boston Red Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction, 8/23/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Boston Red Sox vs Houston Astros

Date: Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

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

The Houston Astros (71-55) host the Boston Red Sox (66-59) at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday. The line on this matchup has Boston at -118 and Houston opens at -102. The betting total is set at 8. The starting pitchers are Chris Sale and Jose Urquidy.

Boston owns a slugging percentage of .433 and have been called out on strikes 1,018 times, while being walked on 379 occasions. They have tallied 585 runs batted in and 1,120 hits so far this year, while their batting average is sitting at .262. The Red Sox have accounted for 268 two-baggers as a squad and have smacked 144 balls out of the stadium. They have earned a total of 611 runs scored while having a team on-base percentage of .328. As a squad, the Boston Red Sox are recording 4.9 runs per outing, which has them at 8th in MLB.

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The Red Sox have a team earned run average of 4.38 on the year (18th in baseball), and their staff has rung up 1,083 batters. Red Sox pitchers have given up 166 long balls and 580 total runs (18th in the league). They have walked 357 hitters and their FIP is 4.40 as a team for the year. Boston has yielded 1,089 hits (8.9 per 9 innings) and 537 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 3.03 and the pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.31.

The Red Sox relievers have a save percentage of 77.1% and has come into the game in 107 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 131 base runners this year with 29.0% of those players earned a run for their team. Red Sox bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 86 times in addition to having 112 appearances in high leverage situations. The Red Sox have dispatched 392 relievers to the hill so far this year. The bullpen have racked up 58 holds on the season (24th in MLB). They have recorded 37 saves this season and have blown 11 of 48 chances to get a save.

The Red Sox have transformed 67.9% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 9,927 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 26th in baseball. The Boston Red Sox have earned a total of 3,309 putouts on the year, as well as 1,112 assists and 87 errors. Their fielding rate is holding at .981 which puts them in 30th in professional baseball, and they have turned 111 double plays.

Sale (119-78 career record) has earned a FIP of 2.95 and he has faced 7,036 opposing batters during his time in the major leagues. He has allowed 1,420 base knocks (7.3 hits per 9 innings) with 405 walks. His earned run average is 3.09 (599 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.045. Sale has taken the mound for 1,746 innings and has 2,145 strikeouts so far in his MLB career.

The Astros hold a team SLG% of .422 and they average 4.90 runs per contest (7th in MLB). They have hit 208 doubles, while walking 423 times and putting up 617 runs. Houston has 165 home runs for the season as well as 597 RBIs. They have been called out on strikes on 992 occasions (27th in baseball) and have earned a total of 1,086 hits. The Houston Astros have compiled an OBP of .325 and a batting average of .253 on the year.

The Houston pitching staff have conceded 532 runs so far this season while holding a team ERA of 3.85 (480 earned runs allowed). They have surrendered 153 home runs and they relinquish 4.26 runs per 9 innings (9th in baseball). The Astros hold a team WHIP of 1.277 with a FIP of 4.27 as a pitching staff on the season. Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 9.10 (1,134 strikeouts against 407 free passes). They are currently ranked 14th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 1,027.

Houston has called on relievers to enter the contest in 53 save chances and they have tallied 37 saves. They rank 4th in baseball with a save rate of 69.8%, and they have sent 399 bullpen pitchers to the mound for the year. Their relief pitchers have come in 126 times in high leverage situations and on 75 occasions with base runners. Houston bullpen pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 30.6% of 124 inherited base runners. Sitting with 122 save situations, the Astros have tallied 68 holds and also 16 blown saves.

The Houston Astros have turned 118 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .986 (14th in professional baseball). The Astros have 1,070 assists, 65 errors and have earned a total of 3,371 putouts over the course of the season. Out of their 10,113 innings played, the Astros have a defensive efficiency of 69.3% (15th in the majors).

Thus far in his career, Urquidy has given up 342 base knocks and he has 315 K's in 380 frames. Urquidy (26-16 career win-loss record) is the owner of a 3.88 ERA while surrendering 8.1 hits per 9 innings. He has given up 164 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.124 and a FIP of 4.4. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.71 and he has faced 1,552 opposing hitters so far in his pro baseball career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Houston (-102)

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