Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins Prediction, 5/18/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Minnesota Twins

Date: Monday, May 18, 2026

Location: Target Field in Minneapolis, MN

TV: Twins.TV

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

Target Field is where the Minnesota Twins (20-26) will attempt to defeat the Houston Astros (19-28) on Monday. The line on this matchup has Houston at -128 while Minnesota is at +106. The over/under comes in at 9. The starting pitchers will be Tatsuya Imai and Simeon Woods Richardson.

Houston is slugging .416 and have struck out 368 times, while drawing a walk on 162 occasions. They have 198 runs batted in and 395 base knocks for the year, and their average at the plate is .253. The Astros have accounted for 82 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 55 baseballs out of the park. They have earned a total of 208 runs while holding a team OBP of .329. As a squad, the Houston Astros are knocking in 4.5 runs per game, which ranks them 11th in MLB.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 1.71 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.56. Astros pitchers have surrendered 61 home runs and 254 runs in total (29th in MLB). Houston has relinquished 398 base hits (8.9 per 9 innings) as well as 245 earned runs. The Astros have an ERA of 5.47 for the year (30th in the league), and they have rung up 397 hitters. They have walked 232 opposing hitters and their FIP is 5.02 as a team this season.

The Astros relievers have a save rate of 81.8% and have come into the game in 24 save situations. They have tallied 9 saves over the course of the season and have blown 2 of 11 save opportunities. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 79 base runners over the course of the season with 26.6% of those players ended up scoring. Astros relief pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 48 times in addition to having 32 appearances in high leverage situations. The Astros have dispatched 140 relievers to the hill on the season. The bullpen are sitting with 13 holds this year (28th in the league).

The Astros have transformed 68.4% of balls hit into play into outs in their 3,630 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 26th in MLB. The Houston Astros have accumulated 1,210 putouts this season, in addition to 352 assists and 17 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .989 which is 6th in professional baseball, and have 44 double plays.

Imai has taken the ball for 12 frames and is sitting with 16 punch outs during his career. His earned run average is 9.59 (13 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 2.131. He has conceded 12 hits (8.9 hits per 9 innings) and has 14 free passes. Imai (1-1 record in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 9.45 while he has faced 65 opposing batters during his time in the majors.

Minnesota has 49 home runs so far this year and 201 RBIs. They have put up 67 doubles, while getting a free base 174 times and putting up 213 runs. The Minnesota Twins have accounted for a team OBP of .324 and a batting average of .236 so far this year. The Twins have a slugging percentage of .383 and they are scoring 4.73 runs per contest (8th in baseball). They have struck out on 394 instances (9th in the league) and have a total of 355 base hits.

The Twins have a team WHIP of 1.351 in addition to having a FIP of 4.13 as a squad on the year. They rank 21st in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 372. The Minnesota pitching staff have relinquished 219 runs for the year while having a team ERA of 4.43 (195 earned runs yielded). Their strikeout to walk ratio is 7.70 (340 strikeouts vs 163 free passes). They have allowed 40 HR's and they relinquish 4.98 runs per 9 innings (25th in the league).

They rank 22nd in MLB with a save rate of 57.1%, and they have sent 148 relievers onto the field this season. Their bullpen pitchers have taken the field 41 times in high leverage situations and also on 50 occasions with runners on. With 40 save situations, the Twins have accrued 26 holds in addition to 6 blown saves. Minnesota has called on relievers to enter the game in 14 save opportunities and they have earned 8 saves. Minnesota relievers have an inherited score percentage of 37.5% out of 72 inherited runners.

In 3,564 innings on the field, the Twins hold a defensive efficiency of 69.8% (19th in baseball). The Minnesota Twins have gotten 34 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .985 (22nd in professional baseball). The Twins have racked up 342 assists, 23 errors and have a tally of 1,188 putouts for the season.

During his career, Richardson has allowed 289 base hits while he has totaled 252 punch outs in 296 frames. He has surrendered 155 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.377 and having a FIP of 4.6. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.12 and he has faced 1,282 batters during his pro baseball career. Richardson (12-16 career win-loss record) holds a 4.71 ERA while conceding 8.8 hits per nine innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Minnesota (+106)

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