Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Prediction, 7/21/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics

Date: Friday, July 21, 2023

Location: Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-225) Oakland (+190)

Oakland Coliseum is the site where the Oakland Athletics (27-71) will compete against the Houston Astros (53-43) on Friday. The moneyline on this contest has Houston at -225 and Oakland is sitting at +190. The over/under is 7.5. The pitchers taking the mound are Framber Valdez and JP Sears.

As a squad, the Houston Astros are putting up 4.7 runs per contest, which is 12th in MLB. They have tallied 452 runs and hold an OBP of .319. The Astros have hit 163 doubles as a team and have smacked 116 baseballs out of the stadium. They have 435 runs batted in in addition to 816 base knocks on the year, and their average at the plate is at .250. Houston has a slugging rate of .411 and have struck out 752 times, while taking a walk on 304 occasions.

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The Astros have compiled a team earned run average of 3.75 on the campaign (2nd in MLB), and the staff has struck out 898 batters. Astros pitchers have surrendered 111 long balls and 399 runs (7th in the league). They have walked 300 players from the other team and their FIP is 4.09 as a unit over the course of the season. Houston has surrendered 779 base knocks (8.2 per 9 innings) and 358 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.99 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.26.

The Astros relievers have a save rate of 65.1% and has stepped onto the mound in 97 save situations. The relievers have inherited 85 base runners this year and 34.1% of those players ended up scoring. Astros pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 54 times in addition to having 93 appearances in high leverage situations. The Astros have sent 303 relievers to the hill on the campaign. The relief pitchers have tallied 53 holds over the course of the season (13th in the league). They have recorded 28 saves for the season and have not converted 15 of their 43 save opportunities.

The Houston Astros have amassed 2,576 putouts over the course of the season, as well as 816 assists and 46 errors. Their fielding rate is currently at .987 which has them sitting 11th in professional baseball, and have a total of 84 double plays. The Astros have turned 69.1% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 7,728 innings, which has them sitting at 17th in baseball.

Valdez (48-29 mark in his career) holds a FIP of 3.52 while he has faced 2,641 opposing hitters in the majors. He has allowed 533 base hits (7.6 hits per 9 innings) and has had 237 walks. His earned run average is 3.26 (229 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.219. Valdez has pitched in 631 innings and has earned 626 punch outs so far in his career.

The Athletics have a team slugging % of .358 and they tally 3.60 runs per game (30th in the league). They have put up 131 doubles, while taking a walk 319 times as well as putting up 353 runs. Oakland has accounted for 93 home runs so far this year to go along with 340 RBIs. They have been rung up on 912 instances (3rd in baseball) and have totaled 715 base hits. The Oakland Athletics have a team on-base percentage of .300 and a batting average of .221 for the season.

The Oakland pitching staff have relinquished 609 runs for the year while having a team ERA of 6.00 (575 earned runs given up). They have surrendered 136 home runs and they allow 6.35 runs per 9 innings (30th in the league). The Athletics have a team WHIP of 1.547 with a FIP of 5.21 as a unit on the year. Their K/BB ratio sits at 8.20 (782 strikeouts vs 422 walks). They have a ranking of 29th in MLB as a staff in total hits conceded with 913.

Oakland has called on relievers to enter the game in 33 save opportunities and they have recorded 16 saves. They sit at 28th in MLB with a save rate of 48.5%, and they have sent 328 relievers onto the field on the campaign. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill 116 times in high leverage situations and also on 121 occasions with base runners. Oakland relievers hold an inherited score rate of 39.4% of 188 inherited base runners. Sitting with 63 save situations, the Athletics have earned 28 holds and also 17 blown saves.

The Oakland Athletics have gotten 70 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .982 (27th in professional baseball). The Athletics have recorded 774 assists, 60 errors and have accounted for 2,589 putouts on the campaign. In their 7,767 innings on the diamond, the Athletics have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 67.5% (28th in baseball).

In his career, Sears has surrendered 152 base hits while he has earned 151 punch outs in 176 innings pitched. Sears (7-9 career mark) holds a 3.94 ERA and has conceded 7.8 hits per nine innings. He has surrendered 77 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.125 and a FIP of 4.7. His K/BB ratio is 3.28 and he has faced 716 opposing hitters in his career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Oakland (+190)

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