Minnesota Twins vs Houston Astros Prediction, 8/7/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Minnesota Twins vs Houston Astros

Date: Saturday, August 7, 2021

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Minnesota (+190) Houston (-256)

Michael Pineda and the Minnesota Twins (46-63, 5th in AL Central) are headed to Minute Maid Park on Saturday where they'll take on the Houston Astros (65-44, 1st in AL West). The Twins open this matchup at +190 while the Astros are coming in at -256. The over/under is set at 9.5. The pitchers taking the mound are Michael Pineda and Luis Garcia.

The Twins have hit 186 doubles as a squad and have hit 156 baseballs out of the park. Minnesota has a slugging rate of .430 and have struck out 930 times, while being walked on 366 occasions. As a unit, the Minnesota Twins are compiling 4.7 runs per contest, which is 12th in the league. They have accumulated 472 RBI's and 899 hits over the course of the season, while their average at the plate comes in at .245. They have a total of 507 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .318.

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Twins pitchers have surrendered 160 home runs and also 579 runs (28th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 323 opposing batters and their FIP is 4.61 as a squad on the campaign. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.76 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.34. The Twins have an ERA of 4.98 so far this year (27th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 892 hitters.

The Twins have dispatched 346 relief pitchers to the mound on the campaign. The relievers have inherited 115 runners this season and 50.4% of those players crossed the plate. They have 26 saves this season and have not converted 15 of 41 save opportunities. The Twins bullpen have compiled a save rate of 63.4% and has entered the game in 96 save situations. The relief pitchers have earned 55 holds for the season (16th in the league). Twins relief pitchers have entered the game with runners on 87 times in addition to having 112 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Twins have converted 68.7% of balls in play into outs out of 8,550 innings, which has them sitting 23rd in pro baseball. The Minnesota Twins have earned a total of 2,850 putouts so far this season, in addition to 965 assists and 72 errors. Their fielding rate is holding at .981 which has them ranked 29th in professional baseball, and they have twisted 727 double plays.

Pineda (57-52 career win-loss record) has earned a FIP of 3.67 while he has faced 3,848 hitters during his time in the majors. He has surrendered 893 hits (8.7 hits per nine innings) and has 209 walks. His ERA is 4.01 (414 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.186. Pineda has taken the hill for 929 innings and has accumulated 919 K's thus far in his career.

Houston has hit 146 home runs this year as well as 567 RBIs. They have 201 two-baggers, while walking 391 times as well as putting up 591 runs. The Houston Astros have accounted for a team OBP of .339 and a team batting average of .265 this year. The Astros hold a team slugging percentage of .440 and they score 5.42 runs per contest (1st in baseball). They have struck out on 824 occasions (30th in MLB) and have tallied 989 base knocks.

The Astros have a team WHIP of 1.222 and have a FIP of 4.16 as a staff on the season. They rank 7th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 815. The Houston pitching staff have allowed 443 runs for the season while having an ERA of 3.73 (402 earned runs yielded). They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.69 (993 strikeouts vs 369 free passes). They have allowed 132 homers and they allow 4.11 runs per 9 innings (9th in MLB).

Houston has had relievers enter the game in 40 save chances and they have recorded 24 saves. They are currently ranked 15th in MLB holding a save rate of 60.0%, and they have sent 330 relievers to the mound for the year. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 100 times in high leverage situations in addition to 92 occasions with runners on base. Houston bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 37.5% out of 144 inherited runners. Sitting with 90 save situations, the Astros have amassed 49 holds and also 16 blown saves.

The Houston Astros have turned 82 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .988 (2nd in professional baseball). The Astros have accrued 919 assists, 48 errors and have a total of 2,907 putouts during this campaign. Out of their 8,721 innings on the diamond, the Astros are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 71.7% (2nd in baseball).

In his MLB career, Garcia has surrendered 89 base hits while accumulating 130 strikeouts in 113 frames. Garcia (7-7 career record) has a 3.42 ERA while allowing 7.1 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 43 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.115 and a FIP of 3.6. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.51 and he has gone up against 462 batters thus far in his career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Houston (-256)

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