Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros Prediction, 7/14/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros

Date: Sunday, July 14, 2024

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: Bally Sports Southwest

The Texas Rangers (44-49) are hitting the road to Minute Maid Park on Sunday where they will try to beat the Houston Astros (49-44). The pitchers taking the mound will be Jon Gray and Ronel Blanco.

The Rangers have compiled 131 two-baggers as a squad and have smacked 97 baseballs out of the park. Texas has a slugging % of .385 and have been called out on strikes 716 times, while taking a walk on 288 occasions. As a team, the Texas Rangers are notching 4.4 runs per game, which puts them at 16th in MLB. They have accrued 388 RBI's and 765 base knocks so far this season, while their team batting average is sitting at .243. They have 405 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .312.

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The Rangers have compiled a team ERA of 4.02 over the course of the season (16th in the league), and their staff has struck out 779 batters. Rangers pitchers have given up 105 home runs and also 396 runs (12th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 326 players from the other team and their FIP comes in at 4.26 as a squad so far this season. Texas has given up 706 base hits (7.8 per 9 innings) as well as 365 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.39 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.26.

The Rangers have dispatched 269 relief pitchers to the mound this year. The relievers have inherited 173 runners this year with 32.9% of those players crossed home plate. They have accumulated 17 saves this season and have blown 12 out of their 29 save opportunities. The Rangers bullpen have a save percentage of 58.6% and has stepped onto the mound in 71 save situations. The relief pitchers have recorded 40 holds on the year (25th in MLB). Rangers relief pitchers have gone to the mound with opponents on base 105 times in addition to having 96 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Rangers have converted 71.5% of balls hit into play into outs out of 7,350 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 3rd in pro baseball. The Texas Rangers are sitting with 2,450 putouts thus far, in addition to 808 assists and 40 errors. Their fielding rate is holding at .988 which is 4th in pro baseball, and have accumulated 68 double plays.

Gray (73-68 career mark) is the owner of a FIP of 4.36 and he has gone up against 5,097 hitters in the major leagues. He has allowed 1,174 base hits (8.8 hits per nine innings) and has had 396 walks. His earned run average is 4.42 (589 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.310. Gray has taken the mound for 1,198 innings and has accumulated 1,198 strikeouts during his career.

The Houston Astros have accounted for an on-base percentage of .324 in addition to a team batting average of .263 this year. They have struck out on 644 occasions (30th in the league) and are sitting with 842 base hits. Houston has hit 106 home runs for the season to go along with 431 RBIs. The Astros hold a slugging % of .420 and they score 4.82 runs per game (9th in the league). They have 161 doubles, while walking 261 times as well as recording 448 runs.

The Astros have a team WHIP of 1.308 in addition to having a FIP of 4.28 as a squad over the course of the season. They rank 13th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 745. The Houston pitching staff have relinquished 399 runs over the course of the season while having a team ERA of 4.08 (374 earned runs given up). They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.80 (803 strikeouts against 333 walks). They have allowed 107 homers and they yield 4.36 runs per 9 innings (13th in the league).

Houston has had relief pitchers take the mound in 36 save chances and they have walked away with 22 saves. They rank 19th in baseball with a save rate of 61.1%, and they have sent 296 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond so far this year. Their relievers have taken the field 85 times in high leverage situations and on 50 occasions with runners on. Houston relievers have an inherited score rate of 28.8% out of their 73 inherited runners. Sitting with 90 save situations, the Astros have earned 53 holds in addition to 14 blown saves.

The Houston Astros have gotten 79 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .988 (3rd in pro baseball). The Astros have recorded 793 assists, 40 errors and have notched a total of 2,473 putouts during this campaign. In 7,419 innings on the field, the Astros are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 70.2% (12th in MLB).

Blanco (11-4 career mark) has earned a 3.35 earned run average while allowing 6.6 hits per nine innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.14 and he has gone up against 664 hitters thus far in his career. He has given up 60 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.186 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.3. In his career, Blanco has conceded 119 hits while he has earned 154 K's in 161 innings pitched.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Texas

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