Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros Prediction, 5/16/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros

Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: TBS

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (+125) Houston (-145)

The Chicago Cubs (19-21) are headed to Minute Maid Park on Tuesday where they will go up against the Houston Astros (21-19). The line on this matchup has the Cubs at +125 and the Astros open at -145. The over/under is 8. The starting pitchers are Justin Steele and Cristian Javier.

As a squad, the Chicago Cubs are scoring 4.8 runs per contest, which puts them at 9th in baseball. They have a total of 193 runs and have an OBP of .340. The Cubs have hit 66 two-baggers as a team and have smacked 48 baseballs out of the park. They have amassed 186 runs batted in in addition to 368 hits this season, while their team batting average is at .266. Chicago owns a slugging percentage of .425 and have struck out 351 times, while taking a walk on 147 occasions.

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The Cubs have a team ERA of 3.91 on the year (11th in the league), and their staff has rung up 335 hitters. Cubs pitchers have yielded 39 long balls and 164 runs in total (8th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 119 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 3.96 as a team on the campaign. Chicago has given up 309 base hits (7.8 per 9 innings) as well as 155 earned runs. They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.82 and the pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.20.

The Cubs bullpen have accumulated a save rate of 55.6% and stepped onto the hill in 29 save situations. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 40 base runners this season with 22.5% of those players earned a run for their team. Cubs bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill with players on base 27 times as well as having 30 appearances in high leverage situations. The Cubs have dispatched 129 relief pitchers to the hill on the season. The relievers have a total of 20 holds this season (15th in the league). They have earned 5 saves over the course of the season and have missed out on 4 of 9 chances to get a save.

The Chicago Cubs have a total of 1,070 putouts over the course of the season, as well as 375 assists and 17 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .988 which ranks 9th in the majors, and have a total of 38 double plays. The Cubs have transformed 71.0% of baseballs in play into outs in their 3,210 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 6th in professional baseball.

Steele has taken the hill for 225 innings and has earned 224 K's in his career. Steele (14-11 career record) is the owner of a FIP of 3.79 while he has faced 952 batters during his time in the major leagues. His ERA is 3.16 (79 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.283. He has surrendered 198 hits (7.9 hits per nine innings) and has 91 free passes.

The Astros have a team slugging percentage of .365 and they score 4.28 runs per contest (21st in MLB). They have hit 61 doubles, while walking 120 times and putting up 171 runs. Houston has compiled 35 home runs on the campaign to go along with 165 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 323 occasions (25th in the league) and are sitting with 320 base hits. The Houston Astros are sitting with an on-base percentage of .307 in addition to a team batting average of .238 so far this year.

The Houston pitching staff have conceded 147 runs on the year while having a team ERA of 3.29 (130 earned runs relinquished). They have relinquished 40 long balls and they concede 3.72 runs per 9 innings (3rd in baseball). The Astros have a team WHIP of 1.202 with a FIP of 3.70 as a squad so far this year. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 9.70 (382 strikeouts vs 111 free passes). They are currently ranked 8th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 316.

Sitting with 34 save situations, the Astros have 17 holds and 5 blown saves. Houston has called on relief pitchers to enter the contest in 16 save chances and they have converted 11 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have taken the field 37 times in high leverage situations in addition to 21 occasions with runners on. Houston relief pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 25.0% out of 36 inherited runners. They are ranked 7th in the league holding a save rate of 68.8%, and they have sent 126 relief pitchers to the hill for the year.

In 3,201 innings on the diamond, the Astros have earned a efficiency on defense of 69.0% (16th in the majors). The Houston Astros have turned 35 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .989 (6th in pro baseball). The Astros have recorded 337 assists, 15 errors and have amassed 1,067 putouts this season.

In his MLB career, Javier has conceded 229 hits and he has 432 punch outs in 351 innings pitched. He has allowed 121 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.031 and a FIP of 3.8. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.25 and he has gone up against 1,409 batters so far in his career. Javier (23-13 career mark) has a 3.10 ERA while conceding 5.9 hits per nine innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (+125)

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