Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 8/14/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

The Houston Astros (63-55) are traveling to Tropicana Field on Wednesday where they will attempt to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays (59-59). The expected starting pitchers will be Ronel Blanco and Zack Littell.

The Astros have accrued 195 two-baggers as a squad and have smacked 139 baseballs out of the stadium. Houston has a slugging percentage of .420 and have struck out 842 times, while taking a walk on 320 occasions. As a team, the Houston Astros are earning 4.6 runs per outing, which has them sitting at 12th in the league. They have accumulated 524 RBI's as well as 1,061 hits this year, and their batting average comes in at .262. They have 548 runs and have an OBP of .322.

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They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.54 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.28. Astros pitchers have surrendered 138 long balls and 486 runs in total (8th in the league). Houston has conceded 913 base hits (7.8 per 9 innings) as well as 456 earned runs. The Astros hold a team ERA of 3.92 so far this year (12th in MLB), and their staff has struck out 1,077 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 424 players from the other team and their FIP sits at 4.19 as a squad so far this year.

Astros relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on 66 times as well as having 110 appearances in high leverage situations. The bullpen have earned 69 holds this year (11th in the league). The Astros bullpen have earned a save percentage of 63.8% and has come into the game in 117 save situations. They have compiled 30 saves for the year and have blown 17 of 47 chances to get a save. The relief pitchers have inherited 99 base runners this year with 27.3% of those players earned a run for their team. The Astros have dispatched 376 relief pitchers to the hill this season.

The Houston Astros are sitting with 3,144 putouts so far this season, in addition to 961 assists and 54 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .987 which puts them in 6th in pro baseball, and they have turned 97 double plays. The Astros have transformed 70.5% of balls hit into play into outs in their 9,432 innings on the field, which has them sitting 9th in baseball.

Blanco (11-7 career mark) has a FIP of 3.53 while he has gone up against 772 batters during his time in the major leagues. He has surrendered 140 hits (6.8 hits per nine innings) and has 83 free passes. His earned run average is 3.58 (74 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.198. Blanco has thrown 186 frames and has accounted for 185 strikeouts in his career.

The Tampa Bay Rays have compiled a team OBP of .310 in addition to a batting average of .233 so far this season. They have struck out on 1,073 occasions (8th in MLB) and have notched a total of 914 base hits. Tampa Bay has tallied 110 HRs this year as well as 431 RBIs. The Rays hold a team SLG% of .373 and they are recording 3.91 runs per game (28th in the league). They have notched 191 two-baggers, while walking 386 times and scoring 461 runs.

The Rays hold a team WHIP of 1.238 with a FIP of 4.14 as a pitching staff on the campaign. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 8.70 (1,019 strikeouts against 322 free passes). They are currently ranked 19th in baseball as a staff in total hits surrendered with 983. They have surrendered 149 homers and they surrender 4.40 runs per 9 innings (15th in baseball). The Tampa Bay pitching staff have allowed 515 runs over the course of the season while having an ERA of 4.03 (472 earned runs yielded).

Tampa Bay has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the hill in 55 save chances and they have earned 37 saves. They rank 9th in baseball holding a save rate of 67.3%, and they have dispatched 401 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond so far this season. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 155 times in high leverage situations in addition to 90 occasions with runners on. Tampa Bay relievers have an inherited score rate of 25.0% out of their 136 inherited runners. With 136 save situations, the Rays have earned 79 holds in addition to 18 blown saves.

The Tampa Bay Rays have turned 79 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .985 (14th in baseball). The Rays have racked up 925 assists, 61 errors and have a tally of 3,163 putouts during this campaign. Out of their 9,489 innings on the field, the Rays are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 69.9% (14th in baseball).

Littell (21-19 win-loss mark in his career) holds a 4.11 earned run average and has surrendered 9.5 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.52 and he has gone up against 1,632 opposing hitters during his pro baseball career. He has given up 175 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.302 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.0. In his pro baseball career, Littell has conceded 403 hits while he has tallied 338 punch outs in 383 innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Tampa Bay

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