Cincinnati Reds vs Houston Astros Prediction, 6/18/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cincinnati Reds vs Houston Astros

Date: Sunday, June 18, 2023

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Cincinnati (+150) Houston (-175)

The Cincinnati Reds (35-35) are traveling to Minute Maid Park on Sunday where they will play the Houston Astros (39-31). The odds on this game have Cincinnati at +150 and Houston is coming in at -175. The over/under is set at 9. The starting pitchers will be Luke Weaver and Ronel Blanco.

As a unit, the Cincinnati Reds are knocking in 4.6 runs per game, which ranks them 10th in MLB. They are sitting with 325 runs scored while having a team OBP of .329. The Reds have accounted for 130 doubles as a team and have hit 58 balls out of the stadium. They have recorded 313 RBI's and 597 hits on the campaign, while their batting average is at .253. Cincinnati has a slugging rate of .393 and have struck out 620 times, while taking a walk on 246 occasions.

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The Reds are sitting with a team ERA of 4.90 on the year (27th in baseball), and the staff has struck out 604 hitters. Reds pitchers have allowed 87 home runs and also 353 runs (27th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 254 hitters and their FIP is 4.55 as a team on the campaign. Cincinnati has allowed 638 hits (9.3 per 9 innings) as well as 338 earned runs. They have a K/BB ratio of 2.38 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.44.

The Reds have dispatched 245 relief pitchers to the hill on the campaign. The relief pitchers have inherited 138 base runners over the course of the season and 27.5% of those players crossed the plate. They have compiled 23 saves for the season and have not converted 8 of their 31 chances to get a save. The Reds bullpen have a save percentage of 74.2% and stepped onto the hill in 68 save situations. The relievers have notched 35 holds on the campaign (16th in the league). Reds bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on 95 times in addition to having 97 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Reds have converted 67.4% of balls in play into outs out of 5,583 innings on the field, which has them sitting 29th in professional baseball. The Cincinnati Reds have amassed 1,861 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 562 assists and 32 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .987 which has them ranked 12th in the majors, and have 51 double plays.

Weaver (25-38 mark in his career) holds a FIP of 4.10 while he has gone up against 2,201 hitters in the major leagues. He has surrendered 544 hits (9.7 hits per 9 innings) and has had 163 free passes. His ERA is 4.94 (276 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.406. Weaver has taken the ball for 502 frames and has earned 511 strikeouts so far in his MLB career.

The Astros hold a slugging % of .397 and they average 4.44 runs per contest (16th in baseball). They have hit 117 doubles, while getting a free base 215 times and putting up 311 runs. Houston has tallied 78 long balls for the year as well as 297 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 569 occasions (23rd in the league) and have earned a total of 577 base knocks. The Houston Astros have recorded a team OBP of .314 in addition to a batting average of .245 on the year.

The Astros hold a team WHIP of 1.228 in addition to having a FIP of 3.82 as a pitching staff so far this season. They are currently ranked 9th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 560. The Houston pitching staff have conceded 254 runs so far this year and come in with a team ERA of 3.22 (224 earned runs relinquished). They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 9.30 (648 strikeouts vs 209 walks). They have given up 71 home runs and they relinquish 3.65 runs per 9 innings (1st in MLB).

Houston relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 27.1% out of 59 inherited base runners. Their relievers have come in 58 times in high leverage situations in addition to 37 occasions with runners on base. With 62 save situations, the Astros have 35 holds in addition to 9 blown saves. They are ranked 11th in the league holding a save percentage of 65.4%, and they have sent 213 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond this year. Houston has called on bullpen pitchers to enter the contest in 26 save opportunities and they have come away with 17 saves.

The Houston Astros have turned 65 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .988 (7th in professional baseball). The Astros have racked up 595 assists, 30 errors and have accounted for 1,878 putouts during this campaign. Out of their 5,634 innings played, the Astros hold a defensive efficiency of 69.2% (15th in baseball).

So far in his MLB career, Blanco has surrendered 34 hits while he has totaled 33 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched. Blanco (1-0 career mark) has earned a 4.55 ERA and has given up 10.3 hits per 9 innings. He has surrendered 15 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.753 and having a FIP of 5.2. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 1.83 and he has gone up against 140 hitters in his MLB career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Houston (-175)

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