Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 5/20/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (-128) Tampa Bay (+106)

The Tampa Bay Rays (21-25) host the Houston Astros (24-22) at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Tuesday. The odds on this game have the Astros at -128 and the Rays are at +106. The betting total comes in at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start are Ryan Gusto and Zack Littell.

Houston is slugging .372 and have struck out 355 times, while drawing a walk on 150 occasions. They have 176 RBI's as well as 372 base knocks on the campaign, while their batting average is sitting at .245. The Astros have hit 66 doubles as a team and have hit 39 balls out of the park. They have racked up 185 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .317. As a unit, the Houston Astros are earning 4.0 runs per game, which is 20th in baseball.

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The Astros are sitting with a team earned run average of 3.39 on the year (7th in MLB), and the staff has rung up 423 batters. Astros pitchers have given up 41 home runs and 165 total runs (5th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 140 opposing players and their FIP sits at 3.46 as a team so far this year. Houston has conceded 314 hits (7.0 per 9 innings) and also 152 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 3.02 and their pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.13.

Astros relief pitchers have entered the contest with runners on 31 times in addition to having 33 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have notched 27 holds this season (13th in the league). The Astros relief pitchers have accumulated a save percentage of 75.0% and stepped onto the hill in 43 save situations. They have 12 saves over the course of the season and have blown 4 out of their 16 save opportunities. The relievers have inherited 46 base runners for the season with 34.8% of them ended up crossing the plate. The Astros have dispatched 142 relievers to the mound on the season.

The Astros have converted 72.6% of baseballs in play into outs out of 3,633 innings on the field, which has them ranked 3rd in pro baseball. The Detroit Tigers have 1,211 putouts this year, in addition to 338 assists and 18 errors. Their fielding rate is at .989 which has them sitting 7th in professional baseball, and have a total of 24 double plays.

Gusto has thrown 31 innings and has accounted for 32 K's in his pro baseball career. His ERA is 4.65 (16 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.516. He has given up 34 hits (9.9 hits per nine innings) and has had 13 walks. Gusto (3-2 career mark) is the owner of a FIP of 4.58 and he has faced 141 batters in the majors.

The Rays have a team slugging % of .363 and they earn 3.89 runs per contest (23rd in MLB). They have recorded 63 doubles, while walking 139 times as well as recording 179 runs. Tampa Bay has hit 39 home runs over the course of the season as well as 171 RBIs. They have been called out on strikes on 393 occasions (13th in baseball) and have recorded 373 base knocks. The Tampa Bay Rays have compiled an on-base percentage of .306 in addition to a team batting average of .242 over the course of the season.

The Tampa Bay pitching staff have surrendered 188 runs so far this year while holding an ERA of 3.92 (179 earned runs conceded). They have surrendered 64 homers and they surrender 4.11 runs per 9 innings (13th in the league). The Rays have a team WHIP of 1.221 with a FIP of 4.48 as a team so far this year. Their K/BB ratio sits at 7.70 (353 strikeouts vs 133 free passes). They sit at 11th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 369.

Tampa Bay has had relievers enter the game in 18 save chances and they have walked away with 12 saves. They rank 11th in MLB with a save percentage of 66.7%, and they have sent 147 bullpen pitchers to the mound this year. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 49 times in high leverage situations and on 24 occasions with runners on. Tampa Bay relievers have an inherited score percentage of 41.7% of 36 inherited runners. With 41 save situations, the Rays have compiled 23 holds in addition to 6 blown saves.

The Tampa Bay Rays have turned 51 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .988 (10th in the majors). The Rays have accrued 438 assists, 21 errors and have amassed 1,235 putouts for the season. Out of their 3,705 innings on the field, the Rays hold a defensive efficiency of 72.0% (6th in the majors).

Littell (27-26 career win-loss mark) has earned a 3.96 ERA and has surrendered 9.1 hits per 9 innings. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.52 and he has faced 1,971 opposing batters in his MLB career. He has allowed 207 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.249 and a FIP of 3.9. During his pro baseball career, Littell has conceded 474 hits while totaling 398 K's in 470 innings pitched.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (+106)

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