Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros Prediction, 5/15/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros

Date: Monday, May 15, 2023

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Minute Maid Park is the location where the Houston Astros (20-19) will play the Chicago Cubs (19-20) on Monday. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Jameson Taillon and Framber Valdez.

As a team, the Chicago Cubs are earning 4.9 runs/g, which ranks them 9th in the league. They have earned a total of 190 runs and have an on-base percentage of .343. The Cubs have compiled 65 doubles as a squad and have smacked 46 balls out of the park. They have 183 runs batted in as well as 362 base knocks for the season, and their team batting average sits at .268. Chicago has a slugging rate of .426 and have been called out on strikes 342 times, while taking a walk on 146 occasions.

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The Cubs are sitting with a team earned run average of 3.59 this season (6th in baseball), and their staff has rung up 327 batters. Cubs pitchers have allowed 36 long balls and 148 runs in total (6th in baseball). They have walked 114 batters and their FIP sits at 3.86 as a unit so far this year. Chicago has conceded 291 hits (7.5 per 9 innings) and also 139 earned runs. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.87 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.16.

Cubs relief pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 23 times in addition to having 30 appearances in high leverage situations. The bullpen have accumulated 20 holds this year (15th in MLB). The Cubs relief pitchers have recorded a save rate of 55.6% and stepped onto the hill in 29 save situations. They have accumulated 5 saves on the season and have blown 4 out of their 9 chances to get a save. The relief pitchers have inherited 33 base runners over the course of the season with 21.2% of those players earned a run for their team. The Cubs have sent 119 relievers to the mound for the season.

The Chicago Cubs have 995 putouts so far this season, in addition to 358 assists and 15 errors. Their fielding rate sits at .989 which has them sitting 9th in pro baseball, and they have twisted 36 double plays. The Cubs have converted 71.6% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 2,985 innings on the field, ranking them 4th in professional baseball.

Taillon (51-37 record in his career) has earned a FIP of 3.80 while he has gone up against 3,368 opposing batters during his time in the majors. He has conceded 785 base hits (8.8 hits per nine innings) and has 199 walks. His earned run average is 3.90 (350 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.219. Taillon has taken the ball for 807 innings and has accumulated 735 strikeouts during his pro baseball career.

The Astros hold a slugging percentage of .364 and they earn 4.28 runs per game (21st in MLB). They have 59 doubles, while taking a walk 120 times as well as putting up 167 runs. Houston is sitting with 34 home runs on the year as well as 161 runs batted in. They have been called out on strikes on 315 instances (24th in the league) and have tallied 311 base hits. The Houston Astros have compiled an on-base percentage of .308 and a team batting average of .238 this season.

The Astros have a team WHIP of 1.207 and have a FIP of 3.68 as a pitching staff this season. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 9.60 (369 strikeouts vs 109 walks). They rank 9th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 309. They have conceded 38 long balls and they yield 3.74 runs per 9 innings (4th in baseball). The Houston pitching staff have yielded 144 runs on the year and come in with a team ERA of 3.30 (127 earned runs conceded).

Houston has called on relievers to enter the game in 15 save chances and they have recorded 10 saves. They are currently ranked 8th in the league with a save rate of 66.7%, and they have dispatched 119 bullpen pitchers to the hill so far this year. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 32 times in high leverage situations in addition to 21 occasions with base runners. Houston relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 25.0% out of their 36 inherited runners. With 30 save situations, the Astros have tallied 14 holds and also 5 blown saves.

The Houston Astros have turned 34 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .989 (8th in MLB). The Astros have 312 assists, 14 errors and are sitting with 989 putouts on the season. In their 2,967 innings on the field, the Astros have a efficiency on defense of 68.8% (17th in the majors).

So far in his career, Valdez has conceded 480 base knocks while he has tallied 554 punch outs in 567 innings. He has surrendered 207 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.232 and a FIP of 3.6. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2.53 and he has gone up against 2,380 batters in his career. Valdez (44-27 career record) holds a 3.28 ERA while allowing 7.6 hits per nine innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Chicago

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