Houston Astros vs Cleveland Indians Prediction, 7/2/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Cleveland Indians

Date: Friday, July 2, 2021

Location: Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH

TV: SportsTime Ohio

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-208) Cleveland (+160)

Sam Hentges and the Cleveland Indians (42-35, 2nd in AL Central) host the Houston Astros (48-33, 1st in AL West) at Progressive Field on Friday. The moneyline on this game has the Astros coming in at -208 and the Indians are at +160. The O/U has been set at 9. The starting pitchers are Lance McCullers Jr and Sam Hentges.

As a team, the Houston Astros are putting up 5.6 runs per game, which is 1st in the league. They have accounted for 454 runs while holding a team OBP of .351. The Astros have hit 154 doubles as a team and have knocked 103 balls out of the park. They have 434 RBI's as well as 770 hits on the season, while their batting average sits at .276. Houston is slugging .446 and have struck out 592 times, while taking a walk on 307 occasions.

The Astros hold a team ERA of 3.68 on the season (9th in MLB), and they have struck out 720 hitters. They have walked 261 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.11 as a unit so far this year. They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.76 and their pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.18. Astros pitchers have allowed 96 home runs in addition to 327 runs in total (10th in baseball).

The Astros relief pitchers have earned a save percentage of 55.2% and stepped onto the hill in 63 save situations. The relievers have inherited 108 runners on the year and 41.7% of those players crossed the plate. Astros bullpen pitchers have gone to the mound with opponents on base 71 times in addition to having 82 appearances in high leverage situations. The Astros have dispatched 242 relief pitchers to the mound for the year. The bullpen have racked up 33 holds on the season (22nd in baseball). They have compiled 16 saves so far this year and have missed out on 13 out of their 29 save chances.

The Houston Astros have accounted for 2,166 putouts on the year, as well as 677 assists and 31 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .989 which puts them in 1st in baseball, and have a total of 595 double plays. The Astros have transformed 72.6% of balls hit into play into outs out of 6,498 innings on the field, which has them sitting 2nd in MLB.

McCullers has taken the ball for 576 frames and has earned 638 punch outs thus far in his career. His earned run average is 3.61 (231 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.252. He has surrendered 488 base knocks (7.6 hits per nine innings) with 233 walks. McCullers (37-26 career record) has a FIP of 3.36 and he has gone up against 2,417 opposing hitters in the majors.

The Cleveland Indians are sitting with a team on-base percentage of .296 and a team batting average of .228 so far this year. They have been called out on strikes on 636 occasions (29th in MLB) and have notched a total of 572 base knocks. Cleveland has recorded 95 home runs this year to go along with 320 RBIs. The Indians have a slugging percentage of .396 and they are recording 4.38 runs per game (14th in baseball). They have recorded 110 two-baggers, while taking a walk 215 times as well as earning 337 runs.

The Indians are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.301 with a FIP of 4.19 as a squad on the season. They are sitting at 8th in the league as a staff in total hits conceded with 589. The Cleveland pitching staff have relinquished 343 runs so far this year while holding an ERA of 4.33 (321 earned runs yielded). Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.65 (738 strikeouts vs 279 bases on balls). They have relinquished 96 home runs and they allow 4.63 runs per 9 innings (17th in baseball).

Sitting with 62 save situations, the Indians have accrued 33 holds and 5 blown saves. Cleveland has called on relievers to step onto the hill in 27 save chances and they have walked away with 22 saves. Their relievers have taken the field 72 times in high leverage situations in addition to 68 occasions with runners on. Cleveland relievers have an inherited score percentage of 31.9% out of their 94 inherited runners. They are ranked 1st in baseball with a save percentage of 81.5%, and they have sent 256 relievers to the hill so far this year.

The Cleveland Indians have turned 63 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .985 (10th in baseball). The Indians have recorded 649 assists, 41 errors and have a tally of 2,003 putouts for the year. In 6,009 innings played, the Indians are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 69.4% (19th in professional baseball).

So far in his career, Hentges has allowed 51 base hits while he has earned 38 strikeouts in 35 frames. Hentges (1-2 career mark) is the owner of a 7.32 ERA while allowing 12.9 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed 29 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.991 and having a FIP of 5.3. His K/BB ratio is 1.90 and he has faced 171 hitters thus far in his career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Cleveland (+160)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here