Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros Prediction, 7/28/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros

Date: Friday, July 28, 2023

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (-115) Houston (-105)

Minute Maid Park is the site where the Houston Astros (58-45) will play the Tampa Bay Rays (62-43) on Friday. The odds on this game have Tampa Bay at -115 while Houston opens at -105. The betting total is set at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start are Shane McClanahan and Cristian Javier.

The Rays have hit 184 two-baggers as a team and have smacked 150 balls out of the park. Tampa Bay owns a slugging percentage of .444 and have been called out on strikes 899 times, while taking a walk on 333 occasions. As a squad, the Tampa Bay Rays are putting up 5.2 runs per contest, which has them at 4th in the league. They have recorded 522 RBI's as well as 896 base knocks this season, and their team batting average sits at .255. They have a total of 545 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .327.

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The Rays hold a team ERA of 3.70 on the season (1st in baseball), and their staff has struck out 945 batters. Rays pitchers have yielded 108 long balls and also 404 total runs (1st in the league). They have walked 313 players from the other team and their FIP is 3.91 as a squad on the year. Tampa Bay has conceded 782 base knocks (7.6 per 9 innings) and 382 earned runs. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 3.02 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.18.

The Rays relief pitchers have accumulated a save percentage of 62.2% and has entered the game in 94 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 122 runners on the year and 23.0% of those runners ended up scoring. Rays relief pitchers have entered the contest with opponents on base 80 times in addition to having 101 appearances in high leverage situations. The Rays have sent 340 relievers to the mound so far this season. The bullpen have tallied 49 holds this season (20th in the league). They have accumulated 28 saves so far this season and have blown 17 of their 45 save chances.

The Tampa Bay Rays have notched a total of 2,786 putouts for the season, in addition to 951 assists and 41 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .989 which ranks 2nd in professional baseball, and have accumulated 79 double plays. The Rays have turned 71.3% of balls in play into outs in their 8,358 innings, which has them sitting at 1st in professional baseball.

McClanahan has taken the ball for 395 frames and has racked up 447 punch outs so far in his career. His earned run average is 2.91 (128 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.097. He has surrendered 318 base hits (7.2 hits per nine innings) with 116 walks. McClanahan (33-15 record in his career) has earned a FIP of 3.31 while he has faced 1,587 opposing hitters in the majors.

The Astros hold a team slugging percentage of .412 and they are scoring 4.70 runs per game (12th in baseball). They have tallied 171 doubles, while walking 330 times and scoring 484 runs. Houston has accumulated 129 home runs for the season to go along with 467 runs batted in. They have struck out on 808 occasions (26th in the league) and are sitting with 864 base knocks. The Houston Astros have accumulated a team on-base percentage of .318 and a batting average of .248 so far this season.

The Astros have a team WHIP of 1.275 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.18 as a squad for the year. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 9.20 (945 strikeouts vs 332 free passes). They are sitting at 16th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 841. They have yielded 121 dingers and they yield 4.25 runs per 9 innings (8th in the league). The Houston pitching staff have given up 435 runs for the year while holding an ERA of 3.81 (390 earned runs yielded).

With 107 save situations, the Astros have accumulated 58 holds in addition to 16 blown saves. Houston has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the hill in 48 save opportunities and they have come away with 32 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill 108 times in high leverage situations and on 61 occasions with base runners. Houston relief pitchers have an inherited score rate of 33.3% out of their 99 inherited runners. They are ranked 9th in MLB holding a save rate of 66.7%, and they have dispatched 327 relievers to the mound this season.

In 8,286 innings on the diamond, the Astros have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 69.1% (16th in MLB). The Houston Astros have gotten 94 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .986 (15th in baseball). The Astros have accrued 877 assists, 51 errors and have accounted for 2,762 putouts during this campaign.

During his pro baseball career, Javier has conceded 283 hits and he has 472 punch outs in 406 innings pitched. He has allowed 152 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.080 and having a FIP of 4.0. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.03 and he has gone up against 1,647 opposing batters thus far in his career. Javier (27-14 record in his career) has a 3.37 earned run average while giving up 6.3 hits per nine innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-115)

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