Toronto Blue Jays vs Houston Astros Prediction, 5/7/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Toronto Blue Jays vs Houston Astros

Date: Friday, May 7, 2021

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Toronto (+121) Houston (-131)

Jose Urquidy and the Houston Astros (15-15, 3rd in AL West) play the Toronto Blue Jays (15-14, 4th in AL East) at Minute Maid Park on Friday. The odds on this matchup have the Blue Jays priced at +121 and the Astros are at -131. The O/U opens at 9. The pitchers taking the mound are Ross Stripling and Jose Urquidy.

Toronto is slugging .390 and have been called out on strikes 253 times, while drawing a walk on 90 occasions. They have accrued 124 runs batted in and 227 base knocks this season, and their team batting average is .235. The Blue Jays have hit 33 doubles as a squad and have knocked 38 balls out of the stadium. They have racked up 134 runs and have an on-base percentage of .306. As a squad, the Toronto Blue Jays are notching 4.6 runs/g, which ranks them 12th in the league.

The Blue Jays are sitting with a team ERA of 3.55 so far this year (8th in the league), and their staff has struck out 253 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 80 hitters and their FIP is 4.08 as a team this season. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 3.16 and their pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.21. Blue Jays pitchers have allowed 36 home runs and 110 runs (7th in baseball).

The Blue Jays relief pitchers have a save percentage of 87.5% and has entered the game in 27 save situations. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 52 runners so far this year and 25.0% of them ended up crossing the plate. Blue Jays pitchers have entered the game with opponents on base 37 times and also have had 39 appearances in high leverage situations. The Blue Jays have sent 107 relief pitchers to the hill for the year. The relief pitchers have a total of 17 holds this season (15th in the league). They have compiled 7 saves over the course of the season and have blown 1 out of their 8 chances to save the game.

The Toronto Blue Jays have earned a total of 755 putouts this season, in addition to 274 assists and 17 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .984 which has them sitting 13th in MLB, and they have twisted 194 double plays. The Blue Jays have transformed 70.0% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 2,265 innings, which ranks them 18th in pro baseball.

Stripling (23-28 record in his career) has a FIP of 3.89 while he has faced 1,876 hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has given up 446 base hits (8.9 hits per nine innings) and has 113 walks. His earned run average is 3.85 (192 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.245. Stripling has taken the ball for 449 innings and has accumulated 431 punch outs in his career.

Houston has compiled 29 home runs over the course of the season and 136 runs batted in. They have put up 58 two-baggers, while taking a walk 84 times and scoring 144 runs. The Houston Astros have recorded a team OBP of .315 as well as a team batting average of .252 this year. The Astros have a team slugging percentage of .403 and they earn 4.80 runs per contest (7th in baseball). They have been rung up on 221 occasions (28th in baseball) and have totaled 257 base hits.

The Houston pitching staff have yielded 119 runs so far this season while holding a team ERA of 3.90 (114 earned runs given up). They have conceded 33 homers and they surrender 4.07 runs per 9 innings (9th in the league). The Astros have a team WHIP of 1.202 in addition to having a FIP of 4.02 as a staff this season. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.82 (268 strikeouts vs 95 walks). They are currently ranked 11th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 221.

Houston has had relievers step onto the mound in 10 save chances and they have earned 6 saves. They rank 19th in the league with a save rate of 60.0%, and they have sent 91 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year. Their relief pitchers have come in 27 times in high leverage situations and on 25 occasions with runners on base. Houston relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 43.5% out of their 46 inherited base runners. Sitting with 24 save situations, the Astros have earned 13 holds in addition to 4 blown saves.

The Houston Astros have turned 25 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .988 (3rd in the majors). The Astros have accrued 236 assists, 12 errors and have earned 789 putouts this season. Out of their 2,367 innings on the field, the Astros have accumulated a efficiency on defense of 71.4% (8th in pro baseball).

So far in his MLB career, Urquidy has allowed 91 hits while he has accumulated 84 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched. He has surrendered a total of 41 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.089 and having a FIP of 4.0. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.65 and he has gone up against 422 opposing batters during his career. Urquidy (5-4 win-loss mark in his career) holds a 3.53 earned run average while conceding 7.8 hits per 9 innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game ATS?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Houston (-131)

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