Minnesota Twins vs Houston Astros Prediction, 10/8/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Minnesota Twins vs Houston Astros

Date: Sunday, October 8, 2023

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: FS1

Minute Maid Park is the location where the Houston Astros (90-72) will attempt to defeat the Minnesota Twins (87-75) on Sunday. The starting pitchers will be Pablo Lopez and Framber Valdez.

As a team, the Minnesota Twins are knocking in 4.8 runs per game, which is 10th in the league. They have racked up 778 runs scored and hold an on-base percentage of .326. The Twins have recorded 264 two-baggers as a squad and have hit 233 balls out of the stadium. They have compiled 745 RBI's as well as 1,335 base knocks on the year, and their team batting average is sitting at .243. Minnesota has a slugging % of .427 and have been called out on strikes 1,654 times, while drawing a walk on 594 occasions.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 3.52 and their pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.20. Twins pitchers have given up 194 long balls and 659 runs in total (3rd in MLB). Minnesota has conceded 1,294 hits (8.0 per 9 innings) and 624 earned runs. The Twins have a team ERA of 3.87 on the campaign (6th in the league), and the staff has rung up 1,560 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 443 opposing hitters and their FIP sits at 3.89 as a unit for the season.

Twins relief pitchers have gone to the mound with opponents on base 118 times in addition to having 186 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have accumulated 79 holds this year (21st in the league). The Twins relief pitchers have a save rate of 57.6% and has stepped onto the mound in 147 save situations. They have 38 saves on the campaign and have blown 28 out of their 66 chances to get a save. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 160 runners on the season with 28.1% of those runners ended up crossing the plate. The Twins have dispatched 490 relievers to the hill so far this year.

The Twins have turned 69.7% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 13,062 innings, which has them ranked 9th in baseball. The Minnesota Twins are sitting with 4,354 putouts so far this season, in addition to 1,286 assists and 66 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .988 which is 4th in baseball, and have accumulated 116 double plays.

Lopez has taken the mound for 704 frames and is sitting with 723 strikeouts thus far in his career. His ERA is 3.86 (302 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.178. He has given up 639 base hits (8.2 hits per 9 innings) and has had 190 walks. Lopez (39-39 career mark) is the owner of a FIP of 3.65 and he has gone up against 2,911 batters in the majors.

The Houston Astros have an OBP of .331 in addition to a team batting average of .259 on the campaign. They have struck out on 1,241 occasions (28th in baseball) and have a total of 1,441 base knocks. Houston has tallied 222 home runs for the year to go along with 799 runs batted in. The Astros hold a team SLG% of .437 and they are scoring 5.10 runs per game (5th in baseball). They have notched 280 doubles, while getting a free base 550 times and putting up 827 runs.

The Astros hold a team WHIP of 1.279 with a FIP of 4.31 as a staff on the year. They come in at 8th in baseball as a staff in total hits conceded with 1,312. The Houston pitching staff have conceded 698 runs this season while holding a team ERA of 3.94 (632 earned runs allowed). Their K/BB ratio comes in at 9.10 (1,460 strikeouts against 537 bases on balls). They have surrendered 201 home runs and they allow 4.35 runs per 9 innings (9th in MLB).

With 148 save situations, the Astros have tallied 86 holds and also 19 blown saves. Houston has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the mound in 61 save opportunities and they have converted 42 saves. Their relievers have come in 151 times in high leverage situations and on 97 occasions with base runners. Houston relievers have an inherited score percentage of 31.1% out of their 161 inherited runners. They are ranked 6th in baseball with a save percentage of 68.9%, and they have sent 513 relievers to the hill on the year.

Out of their 13,008 innings on the diamond, the Astros have accumulated a efficiency on defense of 69.7% (10th in pro baseball). The Houston Astros have gotten 144 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .986 (14th in professional baseball). The Astros have recorded 1,346 assists, 81 errors and have accumulated 4,336 putouts so far this year.

Valdez (53-34 record in his career) holds a 3.40 earned run average while giving up 7.6 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.62 and he has gone up against 2,978 opposing hitters during his career. He has given up 269 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.217 and having a FIP of 3.6. During his MLB career, Valdez has surrendered 601 hits while earning 697 strikeouts in 712 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Houston

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