Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 5/19/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Monday, May 19, 2025

Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-145) Tampa Bay (+125)

George M. Steinbrenner Field is where the Tampa Bay Rays (20-23) will compete against the Houston Astros (22-21) on Monday. The moneyline on this contest has Houston at -145 while Tampa Bay is sitting at +125. The over/under comes in at 8. The starting pitchers will be Framber Valdez and Ryan Pepiot.

The Astros have hit 64 doubles as a team and have smacked 36 baseballs out of the park. Houston is slugging .377 and have struck out 339 times, while taking a walk on 137 occasions. As a unit, the Houston Astros are notching 4.1 runs per game, which has them sitting at 20th in the league. They have 165 RBI's in addition to 354 hits on the year, while their team batting average is sitting at .249. They have a total of 174 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .320.

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The Astros have a team earned run average of 3.41 so far this year (7th in the league), and the staff has struck out 399 batters. Astros pitchers have given up 38 long balls in addition to 154 runs in total (4th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 131 opposing players and their FIP is 3.43 as a unit over the course of the season. Houston has yielded 296 hits (7.1 per 9 innings) and also 143 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 3.05 and their pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.13.

The Astros have sent 133 relievers to the hill so far this season. The relievers have inherited 46 runners this season with 34.8% of those runners crossed the plate. They have compiled 11 saves this year and have blown 4 out of their 15 chances to save the game. The Astros bullpen have a save percentage of 73.3% and have entered the game in 41 save situations. The relievers have earned 26 holds for the year (13th in the league). Astros bullpen pitchers have entered the game with runners on 31 times as well as having 31 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Detroit Tigers are sitting with 1,133 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 322 assists and 14 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .990 which has them sitting 1st in pro baseball, and have 24 double plays. The Astros have turned 72.4% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 3,399 innings, which has them ranked 5th in pro baseball.

Valdez (70-45 career mark) sits with a FIP of 3.27 and he has gone up against 3,906 hitters in the major leagues. He has surrendered 787 base knocks (7.5 hits per nine innings) and has had 339 walks. His earned run average is 3.32 (348 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.193. Valdez has pitched in 944 innings and has 917 K's thus far in his career.

The Rays have a SLG% of .372 and they average 3.95 runs per contest (23rd in MLB). They have notched 61 two-baggers, while getting a free base 135 times and scoring 170 runs. Tampa Bay has accumulated 39 home runs on the year to go along with 162 RBIs. They have struck out on 368 occasions (13th in the league) and are sitting with 352 base hits. The Tampa Bay Rays have accumulated a team on-base percentage of .310 as well as a batting average of .244 on the season.

The Rays are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.199 with a FIP of 4.51 as a pitching staff so far this season. They come in at 11th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 340. The Tampa Bay pitching staff have allowed 174 runs so far this season while holding a team ERA of 3.85 (165 earned runs yielded). They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 7.80 (334 strikeouts against 123 bases on balls). They have conceded 62 HR's and they concede 4.05 runs per 9 innings (11th in the league).

Tampa Bay has had relievers enter the contest in 18 save opportunities and they have walked away with 12 saves. They rank 10th in baseball with a save percentage of 66.7%, and they have dispatched 140 relief pitchers to the mound this year. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 49 times in high leverage situations and on 23 occasions with runners on base. Tampa Bay relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 38.2% out of 34 inherited runners. With 41 save situations, the Rays have tallied 23 holds and 6 blown saves.

The Tampa Bay Rays have gotten 48 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .988 (10th in pro baseball). The Rays have accrued 409 assists, 19 errors and have a tally of 1,160 putouts this season. In 3,480 innings on the field, the Rays are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 72.5% (2nd in the majors).

In his pro baseball career, Pepiot has allowed 203 base knocks while he has tallied 267 K's in 258 frames. He has surrendered a total of 98 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.162 and a FIP of 3.4. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.75 and he has faced 1,070 hitters thus far in his career. Pepiot (15-14 career mark) has a 3.42 earned run average while giving up 7.1 hits per 9 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (+125)

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