Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction, 4/1/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros

Date: Saturday, April 1, 2023

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (+130) Houston (-160)

The Houston Astros (106-56 last season) will compete against the Chicago White Sox (81-81 last year) at Minute Maid Park on Saturday. The moneyline on this game has Chicago at +130 while Houston is coming in at -160. The over/under is 7. The pitchers who are expected to start are Lucas Giolito and Jose Urquidy.

As a team, the Chicago White Sox notched 4.2 runs per outing, which was 19th in the league. They accumulated 686 runs and held an on-base percentage of .310. The White Sox accounted for 272 two-baggers as a squad and hit 149 baseballs out of the park. They had 654 runs batted in in addition to 1,435 hits during the previous year, and their team batting average sat at .256. Chicago had a slugging percentage of .387 and were rung up 1,269 times, while taking a walk on 388 occasions.

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The White Sox compiled a team ERA of 3.92 over the course of the prior season (16th in MLB), and they struck out 1,450 hitters. Their strikeout to walk ratio was at 2.72 and their pitching staff finished with a WHIP of 1.29. White Sox pitchers surrendered 166 home runs and also 717 total runs (20th in baseball). Their pitching staff walked 533 opposing players and their FIP finished at 3.81 as a unit in the prior season.

The White Sox relief pitchers had a save percentage of 67.6% and stepped onto the hill in 174 save situations. The relievers inherited 200 base runners over the course of last season and 38.5% of those runners crossed home plate. White Sox pitchers went to the mound with runners on base 139 times and also had 172 contests in high leverage situations. The White Sox dispatched 549 relief pitchers to the hill in the prior season. The relievers notched 102 holds last year (5th in the league). They compiled 48 saves in the previous season and blew 23 of 71 save chances.

The Chicago White Sox amassed 4,343 putouts for the previous season, as well as 1,293 assists and 101 errors. Their fielding percentage held at .982 which put them in 28th in MLB, and they twisted 122 double plays. The White Sox turned 68.8% of balls in play into outs out of their 13,029 innings on the diamond, which ranked them 23rd in MLB.

Giolito (53-47 career mark) has a FIP of 4.26 while he has faced 3,466 batters during his time in the majors. He has allowed 717 base hits (7.8 hits per 9 innings) with 312 free passes. His ERA is 4.33 (399 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.241. Giolito has taken the hill for 829 innings and has totaled 873 strikeouts in his pro baseball career.

The Houston Astros accounted for a team OBP of .319 in addition to a batting average of .248 in the prior season. They were rung up on 1,179 occasions (29th in baseball) and were sitting with 1,341 base knocks. Houston was sitting with 214 HRs in the previous season in addition to 715 runs batted in. The Astros held a team slugging percentage of .424 and they tallied 4.55 runs per game (8th in the league). They put up 284 doubles, while getting a free base 528 times and scoring 737 runs.

The Astros finished with a team WHIP of 1.093 and were the owners of a FIP of 3.28 as a team during the previous year. They finished at 2nd in baseball as a staff in total hits conceded with 1,121. The Houston pitching staff surrendered 518 runs during the previous year while having an ERA of 2.90 (465 earned runs allowed). Their strikeout to walk ratio was 3.33 (1,524 strikeouts against 458 free passes). They surrendered 134 long balls and they surrendered 3.23 runs per 9 innings (2nd in the league).

Houston relief pitchers had an inherited score rate of 27.7% out of 148 inherited runners. Their relievers took the field 160 times in high leverage situations and on 103 occasions with runners on. With 171 save situations, the Astros accrued 102 holds and also 16 blown saves. They ranked 2nd in MLB with a save percentage of 76.8%, and they dispatched 480 relief pitchers to the mound last season. Houston called on bullpen pitchers to take the mound in 69 save chances and they tallied 53 saves.

In 13,008 innings on the field, the Astros held a defensive efficiency of 71.9% (3rd in the majors). Houston Astros turned 122 double plays and owned a fielding percentage of .987 (7th in professional baseball). The Astros accrued 1,290 assists, 72 errors and had a total of 4,336 putouts in the previous season.

In his career, Urquidy has surrendered 301 base hits while he has accumulated 281 punch outs in 342 innings pitched. He has surrendered 142 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.091 and a FIP of 4.4. His K/BB ratio is 3.90 and he has gone up against 1,387 batters so far in his career. Urquidy (24-13 win-loss record in his career) holds a 3.74 earned run average while allowing 7.9 hits per 9 innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Chicago (+130)

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