Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction, 3/31/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros

Date: Friday, March 31, 2023

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (+155) Houston (-180)

The Houston Astros (106-56 last season) are welcoming the Chicago White Sox (81-81 last year) at Minute Maid Park on Friday. The line on this matchup has Chicago at +155 while Houston is priced at -180. The over/under comes in at 7.5. The expected starting pitchers will be Lance Lynn and Cristian Javier.

The White Sox earned 272 two-baggers as a unit and smacked 149 balls out of the park. Chicago had a slugging percentage of .387 and were rung up 1,269 times, while drawing a walk on 388 occasions. As a squad, the Chicago White Sox scored 4.2 runs per game, which had them at 19th in the league. They had 654 runs batted in and 1,435 hits last year, while their average at the plate was .256. They notched a total of 686 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .310.

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The White Sox finished with a team ERA of 3.92 in the previous season (16th in MLB), and they struck out 1,450 hitters. Their strikeout to walk ratio was at 2.72 and their pitching staff earned a collective WHIP of 1.29. White Sox pitchers relinquished 166 home runs and also 717 total runs (20th in MLB). They walked 533 opposing hitters and their FIP came in at 3.81 as a unit last year.

White Sox relief pitchers stepped onto the hill with players on base 139 times in addition to having 172 outings in high leverage situations. The relievers accumulated 102 holds over the course of the prior season (5th in the league). The White Sox relief pitchers earned a save rate of 67.6% and stepped onto the mound in 174 save situations. They compiled 48 saves during the previous year and did not convert 23 of their 71 save opportunities. The relievers inherited 200 runners for the prior year and 38.5% of those players crossed the plate. The White Sox dispatched 549 relief pitchers to the hill in the prior season.

The Chicago White Sox had 4,343 putouts over the course of the prior season, as well as 1,293 assists and 101 errors. Their fielding rate was previously at .982 which had them ranked 28th in baseball, and had 122 double plays. The White Sox converted 68.8% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 13,029 innings, which had them ranked 23rd in MLB.

Lynn has thrown 1,705 innings and has 1,715 strikeouts during his pro baseball career. His ERA is 3.52 (667 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.259. He has allowed 1,554 hits (8.2 hits per 9 innings) and has had 593 free passes. Lynn (123-84 career win-loss mark) has a FIP of 3.61 while he has gone up against 7,201 opposing hitters during his time in the major leagues.

The Houston Astros held an OBP of .319 as well as a team batting average of .248 last year. They were rung up on 1,179 instances (29th in baseball) and had a total of 1,341 base hits. Houston compiled 214 HRs over the course of last season to go along with 715 runs batted in. The Astros held a team slugging percentage of .424 and they had an average of 4.55 runs per outing (8th in the league). They recorded 284 doubles, while walking 528 times as well as recording 737 runs.

The Astros had a WHIP of 1.093 with a FIP of 3.28 as a squad last year. Their K/BB ratio was 3.33 (1,524 strikeouts against 458 free passes). They were sitting at 2nd in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 1,121. They allowed 134 homers and they conceded 3.23 runs per 9 innings (2nd in MLB). The Houston pitching staff allowed 518 runs during the previous year while having an ERA of 2.90 (465 earned runs yielded).

Houston called on relievers to take the mound in 69 save opportunities and they walked away with 53 saves. They ranked 2nd in baseball with a save percentage of 76.8%, and they dispatched 480 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond last year. Their relievers came in 160 times in high leverage situations and also on 103 occasions with runners on. Houston bullpen pitchers had an inherited score percentage of 27.7% out of their 148 inherited runners. With 171 save situations, the Astros amassed 102 holds in addition to 16 blown saves.

Houston Astros turned 122 double plays and held a fielding percentage of .987 (7th in baseball). The Astros had 1,290 assists, 72 errors and are sitting with 4,336 putouts in the prior season. In their 13,008 innings played, the Astros held a defensive efficiency of 71.9% (3rd in professional baseball).

In his MLB career, Javier has surrendered 192 hits while he has earned 378 strikeouts in 304 frames. Javier (20-12 record in his career) is the owner of a 3.05 ERA and has conceded 5.7 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 103 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.035 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.9. His K/BB ratio is 3.07 and he has faced 1,223 opposing batters in his career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Houston (-180)

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