Oakland Athletics vs Houston Astros Prediction, 9/12/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Oakland Athletics vs Houston Astros

Date: Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Oakland (+230) Houston (-285)

Minute Maid Park is where the Houston Astros (82-62) will attempt to defeat the Oakland Athletics (44-99) on Tuesday. The line on this matchup has the Athletics at +230 while the Astros are sitting at -285. The betting total comes in at 9. The pitchers who are expected to start are JP Sears and Justin Verlander.

As a squad, the Oakland Athletics are earning 3.7 runs per game, which is 30th in MLB. They have 527 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .302. The Athletics have hit 202 two-baggers as a squad and have knocked 151 baseballs out of the park. They have 507 RBI's and 1,059 hits on the campaign, and their batting average is sitting at .225. Oakland is slugging .373 and have struck out 1,306 times, while taking a walk on 449 occasions.

Get all of our MLB Picks Today

Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 1.86 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.54. Athletics pitchers have relinquished 191 home runs and also 830 runs (29th in the league). Oakland has yielded 1,311 base knocks (9.4 per 9 innings) as well as 781 earned runs. The Athletics are sitting with a team ERA of 5.61 so far this year (29th in baseball), and the staff has rung up 1,145 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 614 opposing hitters and their FIP sits at 5.09 as a squad this year.

The Athletics have sent 477 relief pitchers to the mound so far this season. The relief pitchers have inherited 263 runners this season and 39.2% of them earned a run for their team. They have recorded 27 saves so far this year and have blown 25 of 52 save opportunities. The Athletics relief pitchers have accumulated a save rate of 51.9% and stepped onto the hill in 110 save situations. The relievers have notched 55 holds for the year (28th in baseball). Athletics relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on 168 times in addition to having 163 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Athletics have turned 67.5% of baseballs in play into outs in their 11,283 innings on the diamond, ranking them 27th in MLB. The Oakland Athletics have a tally of 3,761 putouts this season, in addition to 1,128 assists and 87 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .983 which is 27th in pro baseball, and have earned 111 double plays.

Sears has taken the hill for 221 innings and has accounted for 192 punch outs in his pro baseball career. Sears (10-14 win-loss record in his career) sits with a FIP of 4.89 while he has faced 931 hitters during his time in the major leagues. His ERA is 4.30 (106 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.250. He has surrendered 211 hits (8.6 hits per 9 innings) with 66 walks.

Houston has 198 home runs over the course of the season to go along with 724 RBIs. They have 248 two-baggers, while walking 492 times as well as racking up 750 runs. The Houston Astros have accumulated a team OBP of .333 and a team batting average of .261 over the course of the season. The Astros have a team slugging % of .437 and they are scoring 5.21 runs per game (5th in the league). They have struck out on 1,104 occasions (28th in the league) and have totaled 1,293 hits.

The Astros are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.292 with a FIP of 4.36 as a staff this season. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 9.00 (1,290 strikeouts against 478 free passes). They are currently ranked 15th in the league as a staff in total hits allowed with 1,184. They have relinquished 181 homers and they relinquish 4.37 runs per 9 innings (10th in MLB). The Houston pitching staff have given up 625 runs on the year while having an ERA of 3.97 (567 earned runs conceded).

Houston has had relievers take the mound in 57 save opportunities and they have converted 40 saves. They rank 4th in the league holding a save rate of 70.2%, and they have sent 455 bullpen pitchers to the mound so far this year. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill 138 times in high leverage situations and on 86 occasions with runners on. Houston relievers have an inherited score rate of 31.4% out of 140 inherited base runners. Sitting with 136 save situations, the Astros have accumulated 78 holds in addition to 17 blown saves.

Out of their 11,577 innings played, the Astros have earned a defensive efficiency of 69.5% (12th in professional baseball). The Houston Astros have gotten 132 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .986 (12th in baseball). The Astros have recorded 1,213 assists, 71 errors and have accounted for 3,859 putouts so far this season.

Verlander (255-140 career record) has a 3.24 ERA and has surrendered 7.6 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.61 and he has gone up against 13,446 opposing hitters in his career. He has given up 1,188 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.119 and a FIP of 3.4. During his pro baseball career, Verlander has allowed 2,772 hits and he has 3,317 strikeouts in 3,299 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Oakland (+230)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here