Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins Prediction, 7/5/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins

Date: Friday, July 5, 2024

Location: Target Field in Minneapolis, MN

TV: Bally Sports North

The Houston Astros (44-42) are on their way to Target Field on Friday where they will meet the Minnesota Twins (48-38). The pitchers taking the mound will be Shawn Dubin and Pablo Lopez.

Houston is slugging .423 and have been called out on strikes 588 times, while drawing a walk on 241 occasions. They have earned 389 runs batted in and 780 base knocks on the season, while their team batting average is sitting at .264. The Astros have tallied 148 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 101 baseballs out of the stadium. They have notched a total of 406 runs while having a team OBP of .323. As a unit, the Houston Astros are recording 4.7 runs per contest, which is 10th in baseball.

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The Astros have an ERA of 4.01 on the campaign (16th in MLB), and they have struck out 734 batters. Astros pitchers have allowed 98 home runs and also 365 total runs (12th in baseball). They have walked 317 opposing players and their FIP sits at 4.31 as a squad so far this season. Houston has allowed 670 base hits (7.9 per 9 innings) as well as 340 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.32 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.29.

The Astros have dispatched 273 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 67 base runners so far this season and 26.9% of those players earned a run for their team. They have compiled 18 saves over the course of the season and have blown 14 of 32 save chances. The Astros relievers have recorded a save percentage of 56.3% and has stepped onto the mound in 78 save situations. The relievers have notched 46 holds over the course of the season (14th in the league). Astros pitchers have entered the game with runners on 47 times as well as having 77 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Houston Astros have 2,290 putouts thus far, as well as 729 assists and 38 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .988 which has them sitting 3rd in the majors, and have earned 66 double plays. The Astros have converted 71.0% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 6,870 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 8th in the majors.

Dubin (1-1 career mark) sits with a FIP of 5.44 while he has gone up against 157 opposing batters during his time in the majors. He has given up 38 base hits (10.0 hits per nine innings) and has 17 walks. His earned run average is 5.53 (21 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.608. Dubin has pitched in 34 innings and has 38 strikeouts during his MLB career.

Minnesota has knocked in 102 home runs over the course of the season as well as 391 RBIs. They have tallied 170 doubles, while getting a free base 250 times and scoring 411 runs. The Minnesota Twins hold an on-base percentage of .318 in addition to a team batting average of .248 so far this season. The Twins hold a team SLG% of .423 and they have an average of 4.78 runs per contest (9th in the league). They have been rung up on 685 occasions (21st in baseball) and have tallied 722 base hits.

The Twins are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.184 in addition to having a FIP of 3.92 as a staff so far this year. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 9.20 (778 strikeouts against 219 bases on balls). They are sitting at 13th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 683. They have conceded 106 homers and they give up 4.43 runs per 9 innings (15th in MLB). The Minnesota pitching staff have allowed 375 runs on the season and come in with a team ERA of 4.13 (350 earned runs allowed).

Minnesota relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 45.8% out of their 96 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill 95 times in high leverage situations in addition to 65 occasions with runners on base. With 94 save situations, the Twins have 55 holds and also 12 blown saves. They are currently ranked 9th in the league holding a save percentage of 68.4%, and they have dispatched 273 bullpen pitchers to the hill on the season. Minnesota has had relief pitchers step onto the mound in 38 save chances and they have tallied 26 saves.

In 6,861 innings played, the Twins have earned a efficiency on defense of 70.6% (10th in pro baseball). The Minnesota Twins have turned 41 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .987 (6th in baseball). The Twins have recorded 654 assists, 38 errors and have a total of 2,287 putouts over the course of the season.

Lopez (47-45 career mark) has earned a 3.98 earned run average while giving up 8.2 hits per 9 innings. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.97 and he has gone up against 3,300 opposing hitters in his pro baseball career. He has allowed 353 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.174 and a FIP of 3.9. In his career, Lopez has surrendered 727 base knocks while accumulating 833 punch outs in 798 innings pitched.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Minnesota

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