New York Yankees vs Houston Astros Prediction, 3/31/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: New York Yankees vs Houston Astros

Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: Space City Home Network

Minute Maid Park is the site where the Houston Astros (90-72 last season) will compete against the New York Yankees (82-80 last year) on Sunday. The starting pitchers are Clarke Schmidt and J.P. France.

The Yankees hit 221 doubles as a squad and hit 219 baseballs out of the park. New York owned a slugging percentage of .397 and were rung up 1,427 times, while taking a walk on 557 occasions. As a squad, the New York Yankees scored 4.2 runs per contest, which was 25th in baseball. They tallied 650 runs batted in as well as 1,207 hits last season, and their average at the plate came in at .227. They accounted for 673 runs scored while having a team OBP of .304.

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They had a K/BB ratio of 2.83 and the pitching staff recorded a WHIP of 1.24. Yankees pitchers conceded 195 long balls and also 698 total runs (10th in MLB). New York surrendered 1,272 base hits (8.0 per 9 innings) as well as 635 earned runs. The Yankees had a team ERA of 3.97 over the course of the prior season (9th in the league), and they rung up 1,439 hitters. They walked 508 batters and their FIP came in at 4.25 as a squad last season.

Yankees relief pitchers went to the mound with runners on 172 times as well as having 180 games in high leverage situations. The bullpen recorded 83 holds for the previous season (17th in the league). The Yankees relief pitchers recorded a save percentage of 69.8% and stepped onto the hill in 147 save situations. They compiled 44 saves for the prior year and missed out on 19 of 63 chances to get a save. The bullpen inherited 249 runners last season with 35.7% of those players crossed the plate. The Yankees had sent 503 relievers to the hill in the prior season.

The New York Yankees earned a total of 4,319 putouts over the course of the prior season, as well as 1,427 assists and 96 errors. Their fielding percentage finished at .984 which put them in 23rd in professional baseball, and had a total of 113 double plays. The Yankees turned 70.4% of balls in play into outs out of their 12,957 innings on the field, which had them sitting at 3rd in pro baseball.

Schmidt has taken the hill for 229 frames and has racked up 218 punch outs so far in his pro baseball career. Schmidt (14-15 career record) has a FIP of 4.26 and he has gone up against 1,001 opposing batters in the major leagues. His ERA is 4.36 (111 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.360. He has given up 233 base knocks (9.1 hits per nine innings) and has had 79 free passes.

Houston compiled 222 HRs last year in addition to 799 runs batted in. They put up 280 doubles, while taking a walk 550 times and earning 827 runs. The Houston Astros had an OBP of .331 and a batting average of .259 last season. The Astros had a SLG% of .437 and they averaged 5.10 runs per outing (5th in the league). They were rung up on 1,241 occasions (28th in the league) and earned a total of 1,441 base hits.

The Houston pitching staff given up 698 runs during the previous year while holding an ERA of 3.94 (632 earned runs conceded). They gave up 201 homers and they allowed 4.35 runs per 9 innings (9th in MLB). The Astros finished with a team WHIP of 1.279 and had a FIP of 4.31 as a team over the course of last year. They earned a K/BB ratio of 9.10 (1,460 strikeouts against 537 walks). They were sitting at 8th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 1,312.

Houston had relievers step onto the hill in 61 save opportunities and they converted 42 saves. They were ranked 6th in the league with a save percentage of 68.9%, and they sent 513 relief pitchers to the hill last season. Their relievers stepped onto the mound 151 times in high leverage situations and on 97 occasions with runners on. Houston relievers had an inherited score rate of 31.1% out of 161 inherited base runners. With 148 save situations, the Astros earned 86 holds in addition to 19 blown saves.

In their 13,008 innings on the field, the Astros earned a defensive efficiency of 69.7% (10th in MLB). The Houston Astros had 144 double plays and accounted for a fielding rate of .986 (14th in pro baseball). The Astros racked up 1,346 assists, 81 errors and accounted for 4,336 putouts last year.

In his pro baseball career, France has conceded 138 base knocks while totaling 101 strikeouts in 136 innings. He has given up a total of 58 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.357 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.7. His K/BB ratio is 2.15 and he has faced 581 hitters so far in his career. France (11-6 career win-loss record) holds a 3.83 ERA while allowing 9.1 hits per nine innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take New York

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