Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers Prediction, 10/20/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers

Date: Friday, October 20, 2023

Location: Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX

TV: FS1

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-114) Texas (-103)

The Texas Rangers will go up against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field on Friday in Game 5 of the ALCS. The odds on this game have the Astros at -114 and the Rangers are coming in at -103. The betting total comes in at 9. The expected starting pitchers will be Justin Verlander and Jordan Montgomery.

As a unit, the Houston Astros are knocking in 5.1 runs per outing, which puts them at 5th in MLB. They are sitting with 827 runs and hold an OBP of .331. The Astros have recorded 280 doubles as a team and have hit 222 balls out of the park. They have recorded 799 runs batted in and 1,441 hits on the year, while their batting average is .259. Houston has a slugging % of .437 and have been rung up 1,241 times, while drawing a walk on 550 occasions.

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Their K/BB ratio is 2.72 and their pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.28. Astros pitchers have given up 201 home runs and also 698 runs in total (9th in MLB). Houston has conceded 1,312 hits (8.2 per 9 innings) in addition to 632 earned runs. The Astros hold a team earned run average of 3.94 for the season (8th in the league), and they have rung up 1,460 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 537 opposing batters and their FIP is 4.31 as a unit for the year.

The Astros bullpen have compiled a save rate of 68.9% and has entered the game in 148 save situations. The relievers have inherited 161 base runners on the season and 31.1% of those players earned a run for their team. Astros pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 97 times as well as having 151 appearances in high leverage situations. The Astros have dispatched 513 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year. The bullpen have racked up 86 holds on the year (15th in MLB). They have tallied 42 saves so far this year and have blown 19 of their 61 save opportunities.

The Astros have converted 69.7% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 13,008 innings on the field, which ranks them 10th in professional baseball. The Houston Astros have amassed 4,336 putouts over the course of the season, in addition to 1,346 assists and 81 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .986 which has them ranked 14th in professional baseball, and have earned 144 double plays.

Verlander has thrown 3,325 frames and has 3,342 K's during his MLB career. Verlander (257-141 win-loss record in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 3.38 while he has faced 13,549 opposing hitters in the major leagues. His earned run average is 3.24 (1,197 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.118. He has given up 2,793 base hits (7.6 hits per 9 innings) and has 925 walks.

The Rangers hold a slugging percentage of .452 and they are earning 5.44 runs per game (3rd in the league). They have put up 326 two-baggers, while getting a free base 599 times as well as scoring 881 runs. Texas has accumulated 233 long balls so far this year to go along with 845 RBIs. They have been called out on strikes on 1,416 occasions (14th in the league) and have earned 1,470 hits. The Texas Rangers have an on-base percentage of .337 as well as a batting average of .263 so far this season.

The Texas pitching staff have conceded 716 runs for the year while having a team ERA of 4.28 (683 earned runs relinquished). They have relinquished 198 home runs and they concede 4.49 runs per 9 innings (14th in the league). The Rangers have a team WHIP of 1.268 in addition to having a FIP of 4.32 as a pitching staff on the season. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.50 (1,351 strikeouts vs 491 walks). They are sitting at 13th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 1,330.

Sitting with 146 save situations, the Rangers have compiled 80 holds and also 33 blown saves. Texas has called on relievers to take the mound in 63 save opportunities and they have come away with 30 saves. Their relievers have stepped onto the hill 160 times in high leverage situations in addition to 163 occasions with runners on. Texas relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 31.5% of 273 inherited base runners. They rank 30th in the league with a save percentage of 47.6%, and they have sent 467 relievers onto the field for the season.

In their 12,927 innings on the diamond, the Rangers have earned a efficiency on defense of 70.3% (4th in MLB). The Texas Rangers have turned 143 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .990 (2nd in the majors). The Rangers have recorded 1,423 assists, 57 errors and have earned 4,309 putouts during this campaign.

So far in his career, Montgomery has allowed 706 hits while tallying 705 K's in 755 innings pitched. Montgomery (38-34 mark in his career) holds a 3.68 ERA while allowing 8.4 hits per 9 innings. He has given up a total of 309 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.209 and having a FIP of 3.8. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.41 and he has faced 3,139 hitters in his pro baseball career.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Houston (-114)

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