Houston Astros vs Boston Red Sox Prediction, 10/18/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Boston Red Sox

Date: Monday, October 18, 2021

Location: Fenway Park in Boston, MA

TV: FS1

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-103) Boston (-115)

Eduardo Rodriguez and the Boston Red Sox (92-70, 2nd in AL East) host the Houston Astros (95-67, 1st in AL West) at Fenway Park on Monday in Game 3 of the ALCS. The series is tied 1-1. The Astros open this game at -103 while the Red Sox are coming in at -115. The over/under has been set at 8.5. The expected starting pitchers will be Jose Urquidy and Eduardo Rodriguez.

As a squad, the Houston Astros are putting up 5.3 runs per game, which ranks them 1st in MLB. They have notched a total of 863 runs scored and hold an OBP of .339. The Astros have hit 299 doubles as a squad and have smacked 221 balls out of the stadium. They have amassed 834 RBI's as well as 1,496 base knocks this year, and their team batting average is .267. Houston has a slugging percentage of .444 and have been called out on strikes 1,222 times, while taking a walk on 569 occasions.

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Astros pitchers have allowed 187 home runs and also 658 runs (7th in the league). They have walked 549 opposing hitters and their FIP sits at 4.12 as a squad on the season. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.65 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.23. The Astros have a team ERA of 3.76 on the year (7th in MLB), and the staff has rung up 1,456 batters.

Astros relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with opponents on base 137 times in addition to having 166 appearances in high leverage situations. The bullpen have tallied 69 holds so far this season (25th in MLB). The Astros bullpen have accumulated a save percentage of 55.7% and has entered the game in 131 save situations. They have compiled 34 saves over the course of the season and have not converted 27 of their 61 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 202 runners over the course of the season with 36.1% of those players earned a run for their team. The Astros have sent 512 relievers to the mound for the season.

The Astros have transformed 71.3% of balls in play into outs in their 13,005 innings on the diamond, ranking them 3rd in MLB. The Houston Astros have accumulated 4,335 putouts so far this season, in addition to 1,432 assists and 71 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .988 which ranks 1st in MLB, and they have twisted 1,153 double plays.

Urquidy has thrown 177 frames and has totaled 147 K's so far in his MLB career. Urquidy (11-5 career record) has earned a FIP of 4.13 while he has gone up against 706 opposing hitters during his time in the majors. His ERA is 3.55 (70 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.019. He has surrendered 147 hits (7.4 hits per 9 innings) and has 34 walks.

The Red Sox hold a slugging % of .449 and they earn 5.12 runs per outing (4th in the league). They have put up 330 doubles, while taking a walk 512 times as well as scoring 829 runs. Boston has tallied 219 home runs on the campaign to go along with 783 RBIs. They have been called out on strikes on 1,386 occasions (20th in baseball) and have earned a total of 1,434 base hits. The Boston Red Sox have an on-base percentage of .328 and a batting average of .261 over the course of the season.

The Red Sox hold a team WHIP of 1.378 and have a FIP of 3.95 as a squad over the course of the season. They rank 28th in MLB as a staff in total hits given up with 1,409. The Boston pitching staff have yielded 749 runs for the year while holding a team ERA of 4.26 (671 earned runs yielded). They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.80 (1,527 strikeouts against 546 walks). They have given up 176 HR's and they surrender 4.75 runs per 9 innings (18th in MLB).

With 176 save situations, the Red Sox have accumulated 95 holds in addition to 27 blown saves. Boston has called on bullpen pitchers to take the mound in 76 save chances and they have come away with 49 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 198 times in high leverage situations and also on 177 occasions with runners on. Boston bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 30.7% out of 277 inherited base runners. They sit at 9th in the league holding a save rate of 64.5%, and they have dispatched 563 relief pitchers onto the field so far this season.

In their 12,771 innings played, the Red Sox have a efficiency on defense of 65.9% (30th in MLB). The Boston Red Sox have twisted 143 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .981 (29th in baseball). The Red Sox have recorded 1,421 assists, 108 errors and have notched a total of 4,257 putouts this season.

So far in his pro baseball career, Rodriguez has given up 831 hits while earning 892 punch outs in 856 innings pitched. Rodriguez (64-39 career mark) holds a 4.16 earned run average and has surrendered 8.7 hits per nine innings. He has conceded a total of 396 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.313 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.8. His K/BB ratio is 3.03 and he has faced 3,649 hitters thus far in his career.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Houston (-103)

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