Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros Prediction, 5/15/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros

Date: Saturday, May 15, 2021

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Dane Dunning and the Texas Rangers (18-21, 4th in AL West) head to Minute Maid Park on Saturday where they'll take on the Houston Astros (21-17, 2nd in AL West).

Texas has a slugging rate of .390 and have been called out on strikes 386 times, while taking a walk on 118 occasions. They have 157 RBI's in addition to 313 base knocks this year, while their team batting average is at .240. The Rangers have accumulated 42 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 48 balls out of the park. They have a total of 164 runs scored while having a team on-base percentage of .311. As a squad, the Texas Rangers are recording 4.2 runs per game, which ranks them 15th in the league.

The Rangers have a team ERA of 4.17 on the campaign (18th in the league), and their staff has rung up 338 hitters. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.96 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.31. Rangers pitchers have conceded 51 home runs and also 173 total runs (21st in MLB). They have walked 114 opposing batters and their FIP is 4.17 as a team on the season.

Rangers bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with runners on 28 times in addition to having 35 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have tallied 11 holds this year (26th in baseball). The Rangers relievers have accumulated a save rate of 73.3% and has entered the game in 27 save situations. They have recorded 11 saves so far this season and have blown 4 of their 15 save opportunities. The relievers have inherited 41 base runners so far this season with 19.5% of those runners ended up crossing the plate. The Rangers have dispatched 113 relievers to the hill on the year.

The Rangers have converted 68.4% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 3,126 innings on the field, ranking them 25th in pro baseball. The Texas Rangers have accumulated 1,042 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 363 assists and 24 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .983 which puts them in 16th in MLB, and they have turned 282 double plays.

Dunning has taken the ball for 67 innings and has totaled 74 punch outs during his MLB career. Dunning (4-2 career win-loss record) is the owner of a FIP of 3.03 and he has faced 284 hitters during his time in the major leagues. His ERA is 3.88 (29 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.203. He has conceded 58 hits (7.8 hits per nine innings) with 23 walks.

Houston has recorded 45 long balls this season as well as 185 runs batted in. They have hit 76 two-baggers, while taking a walk 115 times and putting up 194 runs. The Houston Astros have earned an OBP of .327 and a team batting average of .263 for the year. The Astros hold a team slugging percentage of .433 and they score 5.11 runs per contest (3rd in the league). They have been rung up on 275 instances (29th in the league) and have earned a total of 341 base hits.

The Houston pitching staff have conceded 149 runs so far this season while holding a team ERA of 3.77 (141 earned runs relinquished). They have relinquished 46 home runs and they concede 3.98 runs per 9 innings (10th in baseball). The Astros are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.169 with a FIP of 4.11 as a pitching staff for the year. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.84 (341 strikeouts against 120 free passes). They are sitting at 13th in the league as a staff in total hits relinquished with 274.

Houston relievers have an inherited score rate of 41.8% out of 55 inherited runners. Their relievers have come in 35 times in high leverage situations and on 33 occasions with runners on base. With 30 save situations, the Astros have recorded 16 holds and 5 blown saves. They are currently ranked 17th in the league with a save percentage of 61.5%, and they have sent 115 relief pitchers onto the field on the season. Houston has called on relievers to enter the game in 13 save chances and they have walked away with 8 saves.

Out of their 3,033 innings on the field, the Astros have earned a defensive efficiency of 72.7% (3rd in professional baseball). The Houston Astros have turned 31 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .990 (3rd in baseball). The Astros have 310 assists, 14 errors and have earned 1,011 putouts on the campaign.

So far in his career, Garcia has given up 28 base hits while he has tallied 44 K's in 42 frames. He has given up a total of 16 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.039 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.6. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.75 and he has gone up against 172 opposing hitters thus far in his career. Garcia (0-4 win-loss record in his career) is the owner of a 3.40 ERA while giving up 6.0 hits per nine innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Texas

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