Oakland Athletics vs Houston Astros Prediction, 5/19/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Oakland Athletics vs Houston Astros

Date: Friday, May 19, 2023

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

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

The Oakland Athletics (10-35) are on their way to Minute Maid Park on Friday where they will take on the Houston Astros (24-19). The odds on this game have the Athletics at +195 while the Astros are sitting at -230. The over/under is 9.5. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Ken Waldichuk and Brandon Bielak.

Oakland has a slugging percentage of .383 and have struck out 424 times, while taking a walk on 156 occasions. They have compiled 167 RBI's as well as 347 base knocks this season, while their team batting average comes in at .229. The Athletics have tallied 62 doubles as a team and have smacked 53 balls out of the stadium. They have a total of 173 runs scored and have an on-base percentage of .311. As a team, the Oakland Athletics are earning 3.8 runs per game, which ranks them 27th in baseball.

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The Athletics have a team earned run average of 7.13 so far this year (30th in MLB), and their staff has struck out 342 hitters. Athletics pitchers have allowed 79 home runs and 334 runs (30th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 219 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 6.06 as a squad on the campaign. Oakland has surrendered 451 base hits (10.2 per 9 innings) and 316 earned runs. They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 1.56 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.68.

The Athletics have dispatched 156 relievers to the hill for the year. The relief pitchers have inherited 93 base runners this season and 44.1% of them crossed home plate. They have compiled 4 saves on the campaign and have blown 9 of their 13 save opportunities. The Athletics relief pitchers have accumulated a save percentage of 30.8% and has stepped onto the mound in 26 save situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 12 holds so far this season (29th in baseball). Athletics relief pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 60 times in addition to having 56 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Athletics have turned 67.2% of baseballs in play into outs out of 3,591 innings on the field, ranking them 25th in the majors. The Oakland Athletics have a tally of 1,197 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 351 assists and 30 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .981 which ranks 28th in professional baseball, and have a total of 32 double plays.

Waldichuk has taken the ball for 75 frames and has tallied 69 K's so far in his pro baseball career. Waldichuk (3-4 career mark) has a FIP of 5.90 and he has faced 343 batters in the majors. His earned run average is 6.07 (51 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.546. He has surrendered 84 hits (10.0 hits per 9 innings) and has 33 walks.

The Astros have a SLG% of .377 and they average 4.44 runs per contest (15th in MLB). They have tallied 72 doubles, while getting a free base 127 times as well as recording 191 runs. Houston has hit 38 home runs on the season as well as 184 runs batted in. They have been called out on strikes on 351 instances (24th in baseball) and have accounted for 353 base knocks. The Houston Astros are sitting with a team on-base percentage of .312 and a team batting average of .244 over the course of the season.

The Astros are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.219 in addition to having a FIP of 3.79 as a pitching staff for the year. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 9.80 (417 strikeouts vs 123 walks). They are sitting at 8th in baseball as a staff in total hits surrendered with 343. They have conceded 46 homers and they allow 3.77 runs per 9 innings (3rd in MLB). The Houston pitching staff have surrendered 160 runs for the season while having a team ERA of 3.37 (143 earned runs relinquished).

Sitting with 36 save situations, the Astros have accrued 18 holds and 5 blown saves. Houston has called on relievers to take the mound in 17 save opportunities and they have earned 12 saves. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 38 times in high leverage situations in addition to 22 occasions with base runners. Houston relievers hold an inherited score rate of 23.7% out of their 38 inherited base runners. They are currently ranked 6th in MLB holding a save percentage of 70.6%, and they have dispatched 138 relief pitchers onto the field over the course of the season.

The Houston Astros have gotten 37 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .990 (5th in professional baseball). The Astros have 352 assists, 15 errors and have 1,148 putouts so far this year. In their 3,444 innings on the diamond, the Astros have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 68.9% (16th in professional baseball).

Bielak (6-8 career win-loss record) has a 4.92 ERA while giving up 9.8 hits per nine innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.00 and he has faced 482 hitters thus far in his career. He has given up a total of 59 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.528 and a FIP of 5.3. During his pro baseball career, Bielak has given up 118 hits while accumulating 94 strikeouts in 108 innings pitched.

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

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

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