Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros Prediction, 8/2/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros

Date: Friday, August 2, 2024

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: Space City Home Network

The Houston Astros (56-52) will play the Tampa Bay Rays (55-53) at Minute Maid Park on Friday. The pitchers who are expected to start are Shane Baz and Yusei Kikuchi.

The Rays have hit 173 doubles as a unit and have knocked 102 baseballs out of the stadium. Tampa Bay is slugging .375 and have been rung up 972 times, while drawing a walk on 356 occasions. As a team, the Tampa Bay Rays are scoring 4.0 runs per contest, which is 27th in MLB. They have 403 runs batted in as well as 842 hits so far this year, and their average at the plate sits at .234. They have earned a total of 432 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .312.

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They have a K/BB ratio of 3.11 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.23. Rays pitchers have surrendered 139 long balls in addition to 480 runs in total (18th in MLB). Tampa Bay has allowed 894 hits (8.3 per 9 innings) and 438 earned runs. The Rays have compiled a team ERA of 4.08 over the course of the season (18th in MLB), and their staff has struck out 934 batters. They have walked 300 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.18 as a squad for the season.

The Rays have dispatched 367 relievers to the mound on the season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 119 runners on the season and 27.7% of them ended up crossing the plate. They have compiled 34 saves so far this season and have missed out on 18 of 52 chances to get a save. The Rays relievers have a save percentage of 65.4% and has entered the game in 126 save situations. The relievers have accumulated 72 holds on the campaign (5th in baseball). Rays relief pitchers have entered the game with runners on 81 times as well as having 142 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Tampa Bay Rays have accumulated 2,902 putouts over the course of the season, in addition to 851 assists and 57 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .985 which has them sitting 16th in professional baseball, and have 73 double plays. The Rays have turned 70.2% of balls hit into play into outs out of 8,706 innings, ranking them 12th in professional baseball.

Baz has taken the hill for 59 innings and has accumulated 67 K's in his pro baseball career. His ERA is 3.95 (26 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.231. He has allowed 52 base knocks (7.9 hits per nine innings) with 21 walks. Baz (3-3 career win-loss record) is the owner of a FIP of 3.89 and he has faced 251 batters in the majors.

Houston has 123 home runs this year to go along with 481 RBIs. They have recorded 182 doubles, while taking a walk 289 times as well as scoring 502 runs. The Houston Astros have recorded an OBP of .320 and a team batting average of .261 for the year. The Astros hold a team slugging % of .417 and they score 4.65 runs per contest (11th in the league). They have been rung up on 764 occasions (28th in MLB) and are sitting with 966 base knocks.

The Astros hold a team WHIP of 1.297 with a FIP of 4.27 as a staff for the season. They sit at 10th in baseball as a staff in total hits given up with 852. The Houston pitching staff have given up 456 runs this season while holding an ERA of 4.02 (428 earned runs allowed). Their K/BB ratio is 9.00 (956 strikeouts against 389 free passes). They have conceded 128 home runs and they surrender 4.29 runs per 9 innings (12th in baseball).

Houston relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 28.1% out of their 89 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 98 times in high leverage situations and on 59 occasions with runners on base. Sitting with 104 save situations, the Astros have compiled 62 holds in addition to 15 blown saves. They are currently ranked 17th in MLB with a save percentage of 63.4%, and they have dispatched 345 relievers onto the field for the season. Houston has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the mound in 41 save chances and they have tallied 26 saves.

In their 8,616 innings on the diamond, the Astros hold a defensive efficiency of 70.4% (10th in professional baseball). The Houston Astros have gotten 89 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .987 (5th in MLB). The Astros have 899 assists, 48 errors and have notched a total of 2,872 putouts during this campaign.

During his career, Kikuchi has given up 764 base hits while totaling 761 punch outs in 749 innings. Kikuchi (36-46 career win-loss record) holds a 4.73 ERA and has conceded 9.2 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed 393 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.379 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.7. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.84 and he has faced 3,232 hitters during his MLB career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Tampa Bay

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