Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Prediction, 7/22/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics

Date: Saturday, July 22, 2023

Location: Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-230) Oakland (+195)

The Houston Astros (54-43) are hitting the road to Oakland Coliseum on Saturday where they will attempt to beat the Oakland Athletics (27-72). The odds on this game have the Astros at -230 and the Athletics are coming in at +195. The total is set at 7.5. The pitchers taking the mound will be Cristian Javier and Paul Blackburn.

As a team, the Houston Astros are recording 4.7 runs per game, which is 12th in MLB. They have accounted for 455 runs while holding a team OBP of .318. The Astros have accrued 164 two-baggers as a team and have hit 117 balls out of the park. They have compiled 438 runs batted in as well as 821 base knocks for the season, and their average at the plate is sitting at .249. Houston is slugging .410 and have been called out on strikes 759 times, while drawing a walk on 306 occasions.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 3.00 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.25. Astros pitchers have conceded 111 long balls and 400 runs in total (8th in MLB). Houston has given up 785 base hits (8.1 per 9 innings) in addition to 359 earned runs. The Astros have compiled a team ERA of 3.72 on the season (2nd in MLB), and their staff has rung up 906 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 302 players from the other team and their FIP comes in at 4.06 as a team over the course of the season.

Astros bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with runners on 55 times as well as having 95 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 54 holds on the year (13th in MLB). The Astros relief pitchers have accumulated a save rate of 65.9% and stepped onto the hill in 99 save situations. They have accumulated 29 saves so far this year and have not converted 15 of their 44 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 86 runners for the season and 33.7% of those runners crossed home plate. The Astros have sent 305 relievers to the mound on the campaign.

The Houston Astros have 2,603 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 826 assists and 46 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .987 which has them sitting 11th in MLB, and have earned 86 double plays. The Astros have turned 69.1% of balls hit into play into outs out of 7,809 innings, which has them sitting at 17th in professional baseball.

Javier (27-13 mark in his career) has earned a FIP of 3.99 while he has gone up against 1,625 batters in the majors. He has surrendered 282 hits (6.3 hits per 9 innings) and has 150 walks. His earned run average is 3.37 (150 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.078. Javier has taken the hill for 400 innings and is sitting with 467 punch outs in his pro baseball career.

The Oakland Athletics have earned an on-base percentage of .300 in addition to a batting average of .221 for the year. They have been called out on strikes on 920 instances (3rd in MLB) and have earned a total of 721 hits. Oakland has accounted for 93 home runs this year and 341 RBIs. The Athletics hold a slugging percentage of .357 and they tally 3.58 runs per outing (30th in MLB). They have notched 133 two-baggers, while walking 321 times as well as scoring 354 runs.

The Athletics hold a team WHIP of 1.539 and have a FIP of 5.19 as a unit over the course of the season. Their K/BB ratio is 8.10 (789 strikeouts vs 424 bases on balls). They have a ranking of 29th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 918. They have given up 137 home runs and they relinquish 6.32 runs per 9 innings (30th in MLB). The Oakland pitching staff have conceded 612 runs for the year while holding an ERA of 5.97 (578 earned runs yielded).

Oakland bullpen pitchers have an inherited score rate of 39.4% out of their 188 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill 116 times in high leverage situations and also on 121 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 63 save situations, the Athletics have 28 holds and 17 blown saves. They are ranked 28th in the league holding a save rate of 48.5%, and they have sent 329 relief pitchers to the hill for the season. Oakland has called on bullpen pitchers to enter the game in 33 save chances and they have walked away with 16 saves.

In their 7,848 innings played, the Athletics hold a defensive efficiency of 67.6% (28th in the majors). The Oakland Athletics have turned 70 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .983 (27th in MLB). The Athletics have racked up 785 assists, 60 errors and have a total of 2,616 putouts on the campaign.

Blackburn (14-19 record in his career) has earned a 5.15 ERA while giving up 10.2 hits per nine innings. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2.53 and he has gone up against 1,267 opposing batters in his pro baseball career. He has allowed 167 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.414 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.4. During his career, Blackburn has conceded 330 hits while he has tallied 210 K's in 292 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Oakland (+195)

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