Boston Red Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction, 8/20/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Boston Red Sox vs Houston Astros

Date: Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: NESN

Minute Maid Park is the location where the Houston Astros (67-56) will try to beat the Boston Red Sox (65-58) on Tuesday. The starting pitchers are Nick Pivetta and Ronel Blanco.

Boston is slugging .441 and have been called out on strikes 1,193 times, while taking a walk on 385 occasions. They have accrued 591 runs batted in as well as 1,127 base knocks so far this year, while their team batting average comes in at .262. The Red Sox have accounted for 247 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 155 baseballs out of the stadium. They have racked up 614 runs while holding a team OBP of .328. As a unit, the Boston Red Sox are notching 5.0 runs per outing, which has them at 4th in MLB.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 3.09 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.25. Red Sox pitchers have surrendered 154 home runs and also 589 runs (24th in baseball). Boston has relinquished 1,050 base hits (8.5 per 9 innings) as well as 510 earned runs. The Red Sox have compiled a team earned run average of 4.15 so far this year (19th in MLB), and the staff has rung up 1,046 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 338 players from the other team and their FIP comes in at 4.15 as a unit this season.

The Red Sox bullpen have compiled a save rate of 54.5% and has come into the game in 124 save situations. The relievers have inherited 169 runners so far this season with 33.7% of them earned a run for their team. Red Sox bullpen pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 123 times in addition to having 144 appearances in high leverage situations. The Red Sox have sent 393 relievers to the mound for the year. The relievers are sitting with 66 holds over the course of the season (14th in MLB). They have 30 saves over the course of the season and have blown 25 of 55 save opportunities.

The Red Sox have transformed 69.2% of balls in play into outs in their 9,957 innings, which has them ranked 22nd in MLB. The Boston Red Sox have notched a total of 3,319 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 1,073 assists and 90 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .980 which has them sitting 30th in professional baseball, and have accumulated 85 double plays.

Pivetta has taken the ball for 983 innings and has tallied 1,090 punch outs in his career. His earned run average is 4.82 (527 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.326. He has given up 939 base hits (8.6 hits per 9 innings) and has 365 free passes. Pivetta (55-67 mark in his career) has a FIP of 4.75 while facing 4,201 hitters in the major leagues.

The Houston Astros have recorded an on-base percentage of .321 and a team batting average of .260 on the campaign. They have been called out on strikes on 890 occasions (28th in MLB) and are sitting with 1,098 base knocks. Houston is sitting with 146 home runs on the year as well as 540 RBIs. The Astros have a team slugging % of .418 and they have an average of 4.59 runs per game (12th in MLB). They have put up 200 two-baggers, while getting a free base 336 times as well as scoring 565 runs.

The Houston pitching staff have surrendered 495 runs so far this season while having an ERA of 3.83 (465 earned runs given up). They have surrendered 140 dingers and they surrender 4.07 runs per 9 innings (5th in the league). The Astros hold a team WHIP of 1.258 and have a FIP of 4.11 as a pitching staff so far this season. They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 9.20 (1,122 strikeouts vs 437 free passes). They are currently ranked 2nd in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 939.

Houston has called on relievers to step onto the mound in 50 save opportunities and they have earned 32 saves. They are ranked 14th in baseball holding a save percentage of 64.0%, and they have sent 391 relievers onto the diamond for the season. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill 118 times in high leverage situations in addition to 70 occasions with base runners. Houston bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 26.7% out of 105 inherited runners. Sitting with 125 save situations, the Astros have tallied 74 holds and 18 blown saves.

In 9,846 innings on the diamond, the Astros are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 70.7% (8th in pro baseball). The Houston Astros have turned 102 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .987 (5th in baseball). The Astros have 1,004 assists, 56 errors and have amassed 3,282 putouts this year.

During his MLB career, Blanco has surrendered 142 base knocks while he has earned 189 K's in 192 innings. He has allowed a total of 74 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.171 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.4. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.28 and he has faced 792 batters so far in his MLB career. Blanco (11-7 mark in his career) is the owner of a 3.47 ERA and has allowed 6.7 hits per 9 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Boston

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