Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros Prediction, 9/16/2020 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros

Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: ATSW

Odds/Point Spread: Rangers (+220) Astros (-245)

George Springer and the Houston Astros (23-24, 2nd in AL West) host the Texas Rangers (17-30, 5th in AL West) at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday. The Astros open this game at -245 while the Rangers are priced at +220. The over/under opens at 9. The pitchers who are expected to start are Kyle Gibson and Lance McCullers Jr.

Key Texas Rangers Injuries

9/14/2020 Elvis Andrus SS Back Expected to be out until at least Sep 25
9/13/2020 Jose Trevino C Wrist Expected to be out until at least Sep 22
9/13/2020 Shin-Soo Choo LF Hand Expected to be out until at least Sep 25
9/11/2020 Joe Palumbo RP Abdomen Expected to be out until at least Sep 18
9/11/2020 Willie Calhoun DH Hamstring Expected to be out until at least Sep 15
9/9/2020 Danny Santana 1B Elbow Out for the season
9/6/2020 Joely Rodriguez RP Hamstring Out for the season
9/5/2020 Jose Leclerc RP Shoulder Out for the season
9/5/2020 Corey Kluber SP Shoulder Out for the season
8/13/2020 Edinson Volquez RP Oblique Out for the season
6/28/2020 Brock Burke SP Shoulder Out for the season

Key Houston Astros Injuries

9/13/2020 Lance McCullers SP Neck Expected to be out until at least Sep 16
9/13/2020 Aledmys Diaz 2B Quadriceps Probable for Sep 15
9/13/2020 Yuli Gurriel 1B Hand Probable for Sep 15
9/10/2020 Justin Verlander SP Forearm Expected to be out until at least Sep 27
9/7/2020 Blake Taylor RP Elbow Expected to be out until at least Sep 16
9/7/2020 Chris Devenski RP Elbow Expected to be out until at least Sep 17
9/5/2020 Jose Altuve 2B Knee Expected to be out until at least Sep 15
9/5/2020 Rogelio Armenteros RP Elbow Expected to be out until at least Sep 23
9/4/2020 Austin Pruitt RP Elbow Out for the season
8/23/2020 Yordan Alvarez DH Knee Out for the season
8/12/2020 Roberto Osuna RP Elbow Expected to be out until at least Sep 20

Useful Pitching Statistics

The Rangers have a 17-30 overall record this season. Gibson (68-73 win-loss record in his career) holds a FIP of 4.42 while going up against 4,917 hitters in the majors. His earned run average is 4.59 (579 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.422. He has given up 1,200 hits (9.5 hits per 9 innings) and has had 414 walks. Gibson has thrown 1,135 frames and has earned 886 punchouts thus far in his career. The bullpen has an earned run average of 4.74 and they have given up 160 base hits on the year. Teams are hitting .196 against the bullpen and they've struck out 191 hitters and walked 95 batters. As a team, Texas allows 8.2 hits per nine innings while striking out 8.9 batters per nine innings. They are 23rd in the league in team earned run average at 5.19. The Rangers pitchers collectively have given up 370 base hits and 234 earned runs. They have allowed 62 home runs this season, ranking them 13th in the league. Texas as a pitching staff has walked 197 batters and struck out 402. They have walked 4.4 men per 9 innings while striking out 8.9 per 9. They have a team WHIP of 1.40 and their FIP as a unit is 4.84.

Related: Get MLB tips & picks on all of today's games

Hitting Statistics

As a team Texas is hitting .218, good for 29th in the league. The Rangers hold a .361 team slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .291, which is good for 29th in baseball. They rank 29th in MLB with 7.0 hits per game. Joey Gallo is hitting .192 with an on-base percentage of .326. He has 28 hits this season in 146 at bats with 22 runs batted in. He has a slugging percentage of .425 and an OPS+ of 103. Ronald Guzman is hitting .250 this year and he has an on-base percentage of .328. He has totaled 13 hits and he has driven in 7 men in 52 at bats. His OPS+ is 117 while his slugging percentage is at .481. The Rangers have 328 hits, including 64 doubles and 45 home runs. Texas has walked 143 times so far this season and they have struck out 413 times as a unit. They have left 277 men on base and have a team OPS of .653. They score 3.79 runs per contest and have scored a total of 178 runs this year.

Useful Pitching Statistics

McCullers (32-24 career record) has a 3.83 earned run average and has conceded 8.0 hits per 9 innings. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2.79 and he has faced 2,074 batters during his pro baseball career. During his MLB career, McCullers has surrendered 437 base hits while he has earned 541 strikeouts in 491 innings pitched. He has conceded 209 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.285 and having a FIP of 3.4. The bullpen has an earned run average of 4.55 and they have given up 171 base hits on the year. Teams are hitting .217 against the Astros bullpen. Their relievers have struck out 179 batters and walked 106 opposing hitters. As a team, Houston allows 8.3 hits per nine innings while striking out 8.6 batters per nine innings. They are 16th in the league in team earned run average at 4.62. The Astros pitchers as a team have surrendered 378 base knocks and 211 earned runs this season. They have given up 57 home runs this year, which ranks 17th in Major League Baseball. Houston as a staff has walked 193 hitters and struck out 391 batters. They give up a walk 4.2 times per 9 innings while they strike out 8.6 per 9. Their team WHIP is 1.39 while their FIP as a staff is 4.67.

Hitting Statistics

As a team, they are batting .243, good for 18th in the league. The Astros hold a .414 team slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .316, which is good for 22nd in baseball. They rank 14th in MLB with 8.1 hits per contest. George Springer comes into this matchup batting .240 with an OBP of .343. He has 35 hits this year along with 24 RBI in 146 AB's. He maintains a slugging percentage of .479 with an OPS+ of 118. Alex Bregman is hitting .250 this season and he has an OBP of .352. He has collected 27 hits in 108 at bats while driving in 15 runs. He has an OPS+ of 115 and a slugging percentage of .454. The Astros as a unit have 380 base hits, including 88 doubles and 53 homers. Houston has walked 151 times this year and they have struck out on 351 occasions. They have had 290 men left on base and have an OPS of .730. They have scored 4.98 runs per game and totaled 234 runs this season.

Who will win tonight's Rangers/Astros MLB game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Astros (-245)

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