Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Prediction, 4/3/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics

Date: Saturday, April 3, 2021

Location: RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-105) Oakland (-147)

Lance McCullers Jr and the Houston Astros (29-31, 2nd in AL West last year) head to RingCentral Coliseum on Saturday where they'll meet the Oakland Athletics (36-24, 1st in AL West last season). The odds on this game have the Astros coming in at -105 and the Athletics are at -147. The O/U opens at 8.5. The starting pitchers are Lance McCullers Jr and Cole Irvin.

The Astros compiled 103 two-baggers as a squad last season and knocked 69 balls out of the park. Houston was slugging .408 and were called out on strikes 440 times, while being walked on 192 occasions. As a team, the Houston Astros compiled 4.7 runs per game, which was 14th in MLB. They tallied 268 runs batted in as well as 478 hits last year, and their batting average came in at .240. They earned a total of 279 runs and held an on-base percentage of .312.

The Astros finished with a team ERA of 4.31 last year (13th in baseball), and their staff struck out 526 batters. Their strikeout to walk ratio was 2.42 and their pitching staff recorded a WHIP of 1.31. Astros pitchers gave up 70 home runs in addition to 275 runs in total (17th in MLB). They walked 217 batters and their FIP came in at 4.33 as a unit during the previous year. The Astros bullpen accumulated a save rate of 55.2% and stepped onto the mound in 58 save situations. The bullpen inherited 115 runners in the previous season with 28.7% of those runners crossed home plate. Astros relief pitchers entered the game with runners on in 75 contests and also 75 contests with high leverage. The Astros sent 193 relievers to the hill last season. The bullpen tallied 28 holds for the prior year (16th in the league). They recorded 16 saves over the course of the prior season and missed out on 13 of their 29 save chances.

Lance McCullers Jr gave up 44 base hits in 55 innings pitched throughout last season. His earned run average was 3.93 and he punched out 56 hitters. He allowed 24 ER's last season with a K/BB ratio of 2.8. He surrendered 7.2 H/9 and his WHIP was 1.164. McCullers held a FIP of 3.7 and he earned an ERA+ of 115. McCullers (32-25 win-loss mark in his career) has a FIP of 3.29 while he has faced 2,138 opposing hitters in the majors. He has given up 444 hits (7.9 hits per 9 innings) and has had 198 walks. His ERA is 3.70 (209 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.262. McCullers has taken the mound for 508 innings and has earned 565 punch outs in his career.

Oakland accounted for 71 home runs last season in addition to 264 runs batted in. They hit 91 doubles, while walking 238 times and racking up 274 runs. The Oakland Athletics tallied a team OBP of .322 and a batting average of .225 last year. The Athletics had a SLG% of .396 and they averaged 4.57 runs per contest (17th in MLB). They struck out on 524 instances (15th in the league) and tallied 430 base hits.

The Oakland pitching staff given up 232 runs over the course of the prior season while holding a team ERA of 3.77 (216 earned runs conceded). They gave up 69 dingers and they conceded 4.05 runs per 9 innings (5th in baseball). The Athletics had a team WHIP of 1.235 and had a FIP of 4.02 as a unit in the previous season. Their K/BB ratio came in at 3.07 (506 strikeouts vs 165 walks). They ranked 19th in baseball as a staff in total hits relinquished with 471. Oakland had bullpen pitchers take the mound in 55 save situations and they earned 17 saves. They ranked 2nd in MLB with a save rate of 81.0%, and they sent 181 bullpen pitchers onto the field last year. Their bullpen pitchers took the field in 61 games with high leverage in addition to 51 games with base runners. Oakland bullpen pitchers held an inherited score rate of 31.0% out of their 72 inherited runners. Finishing with 21 save chances, the Athletics accrued 34 holds and 4 blown saves.

Irvin gave up 11 total hits while surrendering 7 earned runs (17.18 ERA). His WHIP sat at 3.27 and he had a FIP of 5.37 last season. He threw 3.2 innings last season while conceding 27 hits per 9 innings. Irvin earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 4.0 with 4 total strikeouts and he was the owner of an ERA+ of 28. Irvin (2-2 career win-loss record) is the owner of a 6.75 earned run average while allowing 11.1 hits per nine innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.50 and he has faced 203 opposing hitters so far in his pro baseball career. He has conceded 34 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.544 and a FIP of 5.1. Thus far in his career, Irvin has conceded 56 base hits while he has accumulated 35 strikeouts in 45 frames.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Houston (-105)

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