Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers Prediction, 10/18/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers

Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Location: Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX

TV: FS1

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (+110) Texas (-130)

Globe Life Field is where the Texas Rangers will try to beat the Houston Astros on Wednesday in Game 3 of the ALCS. The Rangers lead the series 2-0. The line on this matchup has Houston at +110 and Texas is coming in at -130. The over/under is set at 9. The expected starting pitchers will be Cristian Javier and Max Scherzer.

The Astros have accumulated 280 doubles as a team and have hit 222 baseballs out of the park. Houston is slugging .437 and have been called out on strikes 1,241 times, while being walked on 550 occasions. As a unit, the Houston Astros are putting up 5.1 runs per game, which has them sitting at 5th in the league. They have tallied 799 runs batted in and 1,441 base knocks over the course of the season, and their team batting average is sitting at .259. They have tallied 827 runs and hold an on-base percentage of .331.

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The Astros have an earned run average of 3.94 for the year (8th in baseball), and they have struck out 1,460 hitters. Astros pitchers have given up 201 home runs and also 698 runs (9th in MLB). They have walked 537 opposing players and their FIP is 4.31 as a squad this year. Houston has conceded 1,312 base hits (8.2 per 9 innings) as well as 632 earned runs. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 2.72 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.28.

Astros relief pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 97 times as well as having 151 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have tallied 86 holds so far this year (15th in baseball). The Astros bullpen have earned a save percentage of 68.9% and has come into the game in 148 save situations. They have recorded 42 saves for the year and have not converted 19 of their 61 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 161 base runners so far this year with 31.1% of them crossed home plate. The Astros have sent 513 relievers to the mound on the year.

The Astros have transformed 69.7% of balls hit into play into outs in their 13,008 innings on the diamond, ranking them 10th in professional baseball. The Houston Astros have amassed 4,336 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 1,346 assists and 81 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .986 which has them sitting 14th in pro baseball, and have a total of 144 double plays.

Javier (30-17 career win-loss record) has a FIP of 4.14 and he has gone up against 1,910 opposing hitters in the majors. He has given up 335 base knocks (6.5 hits per nine innings) and has 185 free passes. His earned run average is 3.57 (185 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.115. Javier has taken the hill for 466 innings and has accumulated 537 strikeouts during his MLB career.

The Texas Rangers have accumulated a team OBP of .337 in addition to a batting average of .263 on the season. They have been rung up on 1,416 instances (14th in the league) and have a total of 1,470 base hits. Texas has tallied 233 home runs over the course of the season to go along with 845 runs batted in. The Rangers hold a slugging percentage of .452 and they are earning 5.44 runs per contest (3rd in the league). They have notched 326 two-baggers, while taking a walk 599 times and recording 881 runs.

The Texas pitching staff have surrendered 716 runs so far this season while holding a team ERA of 4.28 (683 earned runs allowed). They have surrendered 198 home runs and they surrender 4.49 runs per 9 innings (14th in the league). The Rangers hold a team WHIP of 1.268 with a FIP of 4.32 as a unit for the year. Their K/BB ratio is 8.50 (1,351 strikeouts against 491 walks). They are sitting at 13th in MLB as a staff in total hits allowed with 1,330.

Texas has had bullpen pitchers step onto the hill in 63 save opportunities and they have come away with 30 saves. They are currently ranked 30th in the league holding a save rate of 47.6%, and they have sent 467 relief pitchers to the mound on the year. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 160 times in high leverage situations and also on 163 occasions with runners on. Texas relievers have an inherited score percentage of 31.5% out of their 273 inherited runners. With 146 save situations, the Rangers have accumulated 80 holds in addition to 33 blown saves.

The Texas Rangers have gotten 143 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .990 (2nd in baseball). The Rangers have 1,423 assists, 57 errors and have amassed 4,309 putouts over the course of the season. In 12,927 innings played, the Rangers hold a defensive efficiency of 70.3% (4th in professional baseball).

In his pro baseball career, Scherzer has given up 2,306 base hits while he has earned 3,367 strikeouts in 2,834 innings. He has conceded a total of 991 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.077 and a FIP of 3.2. He has a K/BB ratio of 4.51 and he has faced 11,452 opposing batters during his career. Scherzer (214-108 career record) has a 3.15 earned run average while allowing 7.3 hits per 9 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Texas (-130)

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