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

Game: Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics

Date: Sunday, April 4, 2021

Location: RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (+100) Oakland (-147)

Jose Urquidy and the Houston Astros (29-31, 2nd in AL West last year) go to RingCentral Coliseum on Sunday where they'll take on the Oakland Athletics (36-24, 1st in AL West last season). The Astros open this game at +100 while the Athletics are coming in at -147. The O/U has been set at 8.5. The starting pitchers will be Jose Urquidy and Sean Manaea.

As a unit, the Houston Astros compiled 4.7 runs per game last season, which had them sitting at 14th in baseball. They accounted for 279 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .312. The Astros hit 103 doubles as a squad and hit 69 baseballs out of the stadium. They accumulated 268 runs batted in as well as 478 base knocks during the previous year, while their team batting average was .240. Houston had a slugging percentage of .408 and struck out 440 times, while getting the free base on 192 occasions.

The Astros compiled a team earned run average of 4.31 over the course of last year (13th in MLB), and their staff struck out 526 hitters. They walked 217 opposing players and their FIP came in at 4.33 as a unit during the previous year. Their strikeout to walk ratio was 2.42 and their pitching staff held a collective WHIP of 1.31. Astros pitchers surrendered 70 home runs and also 275 runs in total (17th in MLB). Astros bullpen pitchers entered the game with players on base in 75 outings and also 75 outings with high leverage. The relievers racked up 28 holds for the previous season (16th in MLB). The Astros bullpen accumulated a save percentage of 55.2% and entered the game in 58 save situations. They earned 16 saves last year and blew 13 out of their 29 save chances. The relievers inherited 115 runners over the course of last year and 28.7% of those runners ended up scoring. The Astros sent 193 relievers to the mound in the previous season.

Urquidy held a FIP of 4.71 and an ERA+ of 166. Jose Urquidy conceded 22 hits in 29.2 innings over the course of last year. He allowed 9 earned runs last year with a K/BB ratio of 2.1. He allowed 6.7 hits per nine innings and his WHIP was at 1.011. His ERA was 2.73 and he struck out 17 opposing batters. Urquidy has thrown 70 frames and has earned 57 K's so far in his pro baseball career. His earned run average is 3.44 (27 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.061. He has given up 60 hits (7.6 hits per nine innings) and has had 15 free passes. Urquidy (3-2 win-loss mark in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 4.11 while going up against 283 opposing batters in the majors.

The A's tallied 91 two-baggers, while taking a walk 238 times and putting up 274 runs. The Athletics had a team slugging % of .396 and they scored 4.57 runs per game (17th in MLB). Oakland hit 71 home runs over the course of last season to go along with 264 RBIs. They struck out on 524 occasions (15th in baseball) and earned 430 base hits. The Oakland Athletics had a team on-base percentage of .322 as well as a batting average of .225 over the course of last year.

The Oakland pitching staff allowed 232 runs last year while holding a team ERA of 3.77 (216 earned runs allowed). They conceded 69 homers and they relinquished 4.05 runs per 9 innings (5th in the league). The Athletics finished with a team WHIP of 1.235 and had a FIP of 4.02 as a unit over the course of last season. They had a K/BB ratio of 3.07 (506 strikeouts against 165 walks). They were sitting at 19th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 471. Oakland called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the hill in 55 save situations and they converted 17 saves. They ranked 2nd in baseball with a save percentage of 81.0%, and they dispatched 181 bullpen pitchers to the hill last season. Their relief pitchers stepped onto the mound in 61 games with high leverage and also 51 games with runners on. Oakland relief pitchers held an inherited score rate of 31.0% out of their 72 inherited runners. Wrapping up the year with 21 save chances, the Athletics accumulated 34 holds and 4 blown saves.

Manaea earned a K/BB ratio of 5.6 with 45 total punch outs and an ERA+ of 90. He pitched in 54.0 innings last year while giving up 9.5 hits per 9 innings. Manaea gave up 57 base hits while he surrendered 27 earned runs (4.50 ERA). His WHIP sat at 1.20 and he held a FIP of 3.71 throughout last season. Manaea (39-31 career mark) has a 3.85 ERA while allowing 8.5 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.22 and he has faced 2,271 batters so far in his MLB career. He has conceded a total of 234 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.196 and having a FIP of 4.1. So far in his MLB career, Manaea has allowed 516 hits while he has tallied 447 strikeouts in 547 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Houston (+100)

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