Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 5/1/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Saturday, May 1, 2021

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-128) Tampa Bay (+118)

Tropicana Field is the venue where Rich Hill and the Tampa Bay Rays (13-13, 2nd in AL East) will take on the Houston Astros (13-12, 4th in AL West) on Saturday. The Astros open this matchup at -128 while the Rays are coming in at +118. The O/U opens at 8. The starting pitchers will be Jose Urquidy and Rich Hill.

As a team, the Houston Astros are compiling 4.9 runs per contest, which puts them at 4th in the league. They have accumulated 122 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .318. The Astros have earned 48 doubles as a unit and have smacked 25 balls out of the park. They have earned 114 runs batted in as well as 214 base knocks this season, while their average at the plate comes in at .252. Houston has a slugging rate of .404 and have struck out 179 times, while taking a walk on 72 occasions.

The Astros have compiled a team ERA of 3.87 this year (13th in baseball), and the staff has struck out 219 hitters. They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 3.04 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.16. Astros pitchers have surrendered 30 home runs and also 98 runs in total (12th in baseball). They have walked 72 batters and their FIP is 4.07 as a team for the season.

The Astros have sent 75 relief pitchers to the mound this season. The relief pitchers have inherited 38 runners on the season with 36.8% of them ended up crossing the plate. They have compiled 5 saves this season and have blown 3 of their 8 save opportunities. The Astros bullpen have recorded a save percentage of 62.5% and has come into the game in 21 save situations. The relievers are sitting with 12 holds so far this year (15th in the league). Astros pitchers have stepped onto the hill with opponents on base 21 times and also have had 20 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Astros have converted 72.1% of balls in play into outs out of their 1,989 innings on the diamond, ranking them 5th in professional baseball. The Houston Astros have notched a total of 663 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 204 assists and 9 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .990 which is 3rd in baseball, and have earned 185 double plays.

Urquidy has taken the hill for 97 frames and is sitting with 79 punch outs during his career. Urquidy (4-4 career record) has a FIP of 4.16 and he has gone up against 396 hitters in the majors. His ERA is 3.78 (41 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.116. He has surrendered 87 base knocks (8.0 hits per nine innings) and has had 22 walks.

Tampa Bay has hit 27 home runs on the year as well as 103 runs batted in. They have recorded 49 doubles, while getting a free base 88 times and scoring 111 runs. The Tampa Bay Rays have accumulated an OBP of .306 and a team batting average of .227 this season. The Rays have a team slugging % of .382 and they are scoring 4.27 runs per game (15th in baseball). They have been rung up on 261 occasions (3rd in baseball) and have recorded 199 hits.

The Rays have a team WHIP of 1.165 and have a FIP of 3.55 as a team for the year. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 3.36 (235 strikeouts vs 70 free passes). They are sitting at 25th in baseball as a staff in total hits allowed with 204. They have given up 26 HR's and they give up 4.40 runs per 9 innings (17th in baseball). The Tampa Bay pitching staff have conceded 115 runs on the campaign while holding a team ERA of 4.02 (105 earned runs yielded).

Tampa Bay has called on relievers to enter the contest in 15 save opportunities and they have earned 9 saves. They sit at 19th in MLB holding a save rate of 60.0%, and they have sent 80 relievers to the hill on the year. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 38 times in high leverage situations and on 22 occasions with runners on. Tampa Bay relievers have an inherited score rate of 25.9% of 27 inherited base runners. Sitting with 34 save situations, the Rays have accrued 19 holds and 6 blown saves.

In their 2,118 innings played, the Rays have earned a efficiency on defense of 70.4% (15th in pro baseball). The Tampa Bay Rays have twisted 23 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .989 (5th in professional baseball). The Rays have 225 assists, 10 errors and have a total of 706 putouts for the year.

In his career, Hill has conceded 825 hits while he has accumulated 1,059 K's in 998 innings pitched. Hill (68-45 career record) has earned a 3.87 earned run average while allowing 7.4 hits per 9 innings. He has surrendered 429 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.224 and having a FIP of 4.0. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.67 and he has faced 4,187 batters so far in his MLB career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (+118)

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