Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Prediction, 7/20/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics

Date: Thursday, July 20, 2023

Location: Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

The Oakland Athletics (26-71) are hosting the Houston Astros (52-43) at Oakland Coliseum on Thursday. The pitchers who are expected to start are J.P. France and Hogan Harris.

Houston has a slugging rate of .412 and have been called out on strikes 744 times, while drawing a walk on 303 occasions. They have amassed 431 runs batted in in addition to 808 base knocks this season, and their team batting average comes in at .250. The Astros have earned 161 doubles as a squad and have smacked 115 baseballs out of the park. They have a total of 448 runs scored while having a team on-base percentage of .320. As a team, the Houston Astros are putting up 4.7 runs per game, which has them at 11th in the league.

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The Astros have compiled a team earned run average of 3.78 so far this year (4th in the league), and the staff has rung up 890 hitters. Astros pitchers have allowed 110 home runs in addition to 398 runs (9th in MLB). They have walked 296 batters and their FIP comes in at 4.09 as a squad for the season. Houston has allowed 777 base knocks (8.2 per 9 innings) and 357 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 3.01 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.26.

The Astros bullpen have recorded a save rate of 65.1% and has come into the game in 96 save situations. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 83 runners on the campaign with 34.9% of them ended up scoring. Astros pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 53 times in addition to having 93 appearances in high leverage situations. The Astros have sent 299 relief pitchers to the mound so far this season. The relief pitchers have a total of 52 holds over the course of the season (14th in the league). They have recorded 28 saves this season and have missed out on 15 of their 43 save opportunities.

The Astros have turned 68.8% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 7,647 innings, which ranks them 17th in the majors. The Houston Astros have accounted for 2,549 putouts over the course of the season, as well as 807 assists and 46 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .986 which ranks 12th in MLB, and they have twisted 84 double plays.

France has taken the hill for 70 innings and has tallied 50 K's so far in his pro baseball career. His ERA is 3.31 (26 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.259. He has surrendered 68 hits (8.7 hits per 9 innings) and has 21 walks. France (4-3 career mark) sits with a FIP of 4.66 while facing 296 opposing hitters during his time in the major leagues.

Oakland has recorded 90 home runs for the season as well as 334 runs batted in. They have put up 129 doubles, while taking a walk 316 times as well as putting up 347 runs. The Oakland Athletics have recorded an OBP of .299 as well as a batting average of .221 this season. The Athletics have a team slugging % of .355 and they are earning 3.58 runs per game (30th in baseball). They have been rung up on 903 occasions (3rd in baseball) and are sitting with 705 base hits.

The Athletics have a team WHIP of 1.552 and have a FIP of 5.23 as a team so far this season. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 8.10 (773 strikeouts against 418 free passes). They are sitting at 29th in the league as a staff in total hits conceded with 907. They have allowed 135 long balls and they concede 6.37 runs per 9 innings (30th in MLB). The Oakland pitching staff have conceded 604 runs for the year while having a team ERA of 6.02 (571 earned runs yielded).

Oakland relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 39.5% out of 185 inherited base runners. Their relievers have come in 112 times in high leverage situations and also on 119 occasions with base runners. With 60 save situations, the Athletics have recorded 27 holds and 17 blown saves. They rank 30th in the league holding a save percentage of 46.9%, and they have dispatched 324 relief pitchers onto the field so far this year. Oakland has had relievers step onto the hill in 32 save chances and they have earned 15 saves.

The Oakland Athletics have gotten 70 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .983 (25th in pro baseball). The Athletics have recorded 768 assists, 56 errors and have earned a total of 2,562 putouts over the course of the season. Out of their 7,686 innings on the diamond, the Athletics have earned a efficiency on defense of 67.5% (28th in MLB).

Thus far in his career, Harris has allowed 47 hits while he has earned 40 punch outs in 47 frames. Harris (2-3 career mark) has earned a 6.51 ERA and has allowed 9.0 hits per 9 innings. He has surrendered a total of 34 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.468 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.9. His K/BB ratio is 1.82 and he has faced 208 hitters so far in his career.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Oakland

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