Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction, 8/17/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros

Date: Saturday, August 17, 2024

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: Space City Home Network

The Chicago White Sox (29-93) are hitting the road to Minute Maid Park on Saturday where they will go up against the Houston Astros (65-55). The pitchers who are expected to start are Chris Flexen and Hunter Brown.

Chicago has a slugging rate of .347 and have struck out 1,062 times, while drawing a walk on 298 occasions. They have 363 runs batted in as well as 887 hits on the campaign, while their batting average is sitting at .220. The White Sox have accumulated 190 doubles as a squad and have knocked 104 balls out of the park. They have a total of 382 runs scored and have an OBP of .278. As a unit, the Chicago White Sox are earning 3.1 runs per contest, which puts them at 30th in the league.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.05 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.43. White Sox pitchers have allowed 160 long balls and also 634 runs (29th in MLB). Chicago has yielded 1,044 base hits (8.8 per 9 innings) as well as 575 earned runs. The White Sox are sitting with a team earned run average of 4.85 over the course of the season (29th in the league), and they have rung up 993 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 485 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 4.75 as a unit so far this season.

The White Sox have sent 397 relievers to the hill for the season. The relief pitchers have inherited 213 base runners for the year and 34.3% of those runners earned a run for their team. They have earned 17 saves so far this season and have missed out on 30 of 47 save opportunities. The White Sox relief pitchers have a save percentage of 36.2% and has entered the game in 104 save situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 56 holds so far this season (23rd in the league). White Sox relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 138 times as well as having 128 appearances in high leverage situations.

The White Sox have converted 69.3% of balls hit into play into outs in their 9,609 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 21st in MLB. The Chicago White Sox have notched a total of 3,203 putouts thus far, in addition to 963 assists and 71 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .983 which ranks 25th in pro baseball, and they have turned 75 double plays.

Flexen has taken the mound for 605 frames and has tallied 427 strikeouts during his MLB career. Flexen (29-45 career win-loss mark) holds a FIP of 4.95 while facing 2,662 opposing batters in the majors. His earned run average is 5.03 (338 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.489. He has conceded 668 base knocks (9.9 hits per 9 innings) with 233 free passes.

The Houston Astros have accumulated a team OBP of .320 in addition to a team batting average of .260 on the campaign. They have struck out on 860 instances (28th in baseball) and have earned a total of 1,072 hits. Houston has tallied 142 long balls for the season as well as 529 RBIs. The Astros have a SLG% of .418 and they score 4.61 runs per game (13th in the league). They have notched 196 two-baggers, while taking a walk 326 times and scoring 553 runs.

The Astros have a WHIP of 1.263 and have a FIP of 4.15 as a unit this year. They rank 2nd in the league as a staff in total hits relinquished with 920. The Houston pitching staff have given up 489 runs so far this season while having an ERA of 3.87 (459 earned runs yielded). They have earned a K/BB ratio of 9.20 (1,094 strikeouts against 428 walks). They have allowed 138 long balls and they relinquish 4.12 runs per 9 innings (7th in the league).

Sitting with 123 save situations, the Astros have 73 holds in addition to 18 blown saves. Houston has had relievers enter the contest in 49 save chances and they have come away with 31 saves. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 116 times in high leverage situations and on 68 occasions with base runners. Houston bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 26.5% out of their 102 inherited runners. They sit at 16th in baseball with a save rate of 63.3%, and they have sent 383 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond this season.

The Houston Astros have turned 98 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .987 (5th in professional baseball). The Astros have accrued 981 assists, 56 errors and have a tally of 3,201 putouts on the season. In their 9,603 innings played, the Astros have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 70.7% (7th in the majors).

So far in his pro baseball career, Brown has allowed 298 base knocks while he has tallied 339 K's in 303 frames. Brown (23-20 career record) holds a 4.34 earned run average and has conceded 8.8 hits per nine innings. He has allowed 146 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.346 and having a FIP of 4.3. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.08 and he has gone up against 1,288 hitters in his pro baseball career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Chicago

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