Houston Astros vs Atlanta Braves Prediction, 4/21/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Atlanta Braves

Date: Friday, April 21, 2023

Location: Truist Park in Cumberland, GA

TV: Bally Sports South

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-110) Atlanta (-110)

The Atlanta Braves (14-5) will compete against the Houston Astros (9-10) at Truist Park on Friday. The line on this contest has Houston at -110 while Atlanta is sitting at -110. The over/under is set at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start are Hunter Brown and Bryce Elder.

The Astros have accrued 29 two-baggers as a unit and have smacked 19 balls out of the stadium. Houston has a slugging percentage of .382 and have been called out on strikes 159 times, while drawing a walk on 71 occasions. As a unit, the Houston Astros are earning 5.1 runs per outing, which has them sitting at 9th in MLB. They have accrued 93 RBI's as well as 162 hits on the campaign, while their batting average sits at .250. They have earned 96 runs while having a team OBP of .330.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 3.14 and the pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.25. Astros pitchers have conceded 20 home runs in addition to 77 total runs (9th in MLB). Houston has surrendered 157 hits (8.3 per 9 innings) and 63 earned runs. The Astros hold a team ERA of 3.30 so far this season (7th in MLB), and their staff has struck out 179 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 57 players from the other team and their FIP is 3.91 as a squad on the year.

Astros pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 10 times and also have had 14 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 3 holds for the year (27th in the league). The Astros bullpen have a save rate of 40.0% and has entered the game in 9 save situations. They have compiled 2 saves for the year and have missed out on 3 of 5 chances to save the game. The relief pitchers have inherited 18 base runners this year with 33.3% of them ended up scoring. The Astros have sent 61 relief pitchers to the hill on the season.

The Houston Astros have a tally of 515 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 168 assists and 7 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .990 which has them sitting 7th in MLB, and they have turned 11 double plays. The Astros have turned 69.1% of balls in play into outs out of 1,545 innings on the field, ranking them 15th in pro baseball.

Brown (4-0 win-loss mark in his career) has a FIP of 2.37 and he has faced 153 batters during his time in the major leagues. He has allowed 28 hits (6.5 hits per 9 innings) with 13 walks. His ERA is 1.38 (6 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.051. Brown has pitched in 39 frames and has racked up 39 K's in his MLB career.

Atlanta has 27 home runs so far this season to go along with 92 RBIs. They have notched 35 two-baggers, while getting a free base 77 times and scoring 97 runs. The Atlanta Braves have a team OBP of .345 in addition to a team batting average of .263 this year. The Braves have a team SLG% of .443 and they are recording 5.11 runs per contest (8th in baseball). They have been called out on strikes on 177 instances (5th in MLB) and have earned a total of 172 base hits.

The Braves hold a team WHIP of 1.259 and have a FIP of 3.51 as a team over the course of the season. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 9.10 (172 strikeouts against 65 free passes). They come in at 9th in baseball as a staff in total hits given up with 149. They have conceded 12 HR's and they surrender 3.44 runs per 9 innings (5th in baseball). The Atlanta pitching staff have allowed 65 runs for the year while having a team ERA of 3.28 (62 earned runs surrendered).

Atlanta bullpen pitchers have an inherited score rate of 31.6% of 19 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 20 times in high leverage situations and on 16 occasions with runners on base. Sitting with 27 save situations, the Braves have earned 18 holds and 3 blown saves. They are ranked 11th in the league holding a save rate of 66.7%, and they have sent 67 relievers onto the field for the year. Atlanta has had relievers step onto the hill in 9 save chances and they have walked away with 6 saves.

The Atlanta Braves have turned 18 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .987 (16th in the majors). The Braves have 160 assists, 9 errors and are sitting with 510 putouts for the year. In their 1,530 innings played, the Braves have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 68.6% (19th in the majors).

So far in his MLB career, Elder has given up 60 base hits while he has accumulated 64 K's in 71 innings. He has given up a total of 22 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.242 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.5. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.21 and he has gone up against 299 hitters thus far in his career. Elder (4-4 career win-loss record) has earned a 2.76 ERA while conceding 7.5 hits per 9 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Atlanta (-110)

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