Cincinnati Reds vs Houston Astros 6/16/2023 Analysis, Picks and Previews
On June 16, 2023, at 8:10 PM ET, Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas will host an MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Houston Astros. In back-to-back series, Cincinnati defeated the LA Dodgers, St. Louis, and Kansas City. The Reds are only 1.5 games down in the NL Central lead after winning eight of their previous ten games. In terms of runs scored per game (4.68), hits (.254; 12th), and OPS (.726; 14th), Cincinnati comes in at 10. It hit 57 long balls this year, ranking 27th, and stole 70 bases, ranking second. The Reds’ pitching staff is ranked 26th overall with a 1.44 WHIP and 27th with a 4.96 ERA after 14 quality starts.
Abbott is scheduled to pitch for the visiting squad tomorrow. Despite making two starts this season, the rookie left-hander did not allow a run in 11.2 innings combined against Milwaukee (one hit and four walks in six innings) and St. Louis (five hits and three walks in 5.2 frames). He succeeded in both of his endeavors.
The Reds’ bullpen relievers dealt with 95 high-leverage and 94 situations with runners in scoring position. This season, the relievers have combined for 33 holds, which places them 20th in MLB. The Reds bullpen entered the game with a save percentage of 73.3% and 65 save opportunities. Eight of their 30 opportunities to win the game were missed, despite their 22 saves this year. 27.5% of the 138 base runners that the bullpen relievers inherited advanced to first base in the current season. The Reds sent 242 relievers to the hill this season.
- Cincinnati is 7-2 SU in their last 9 meetings with the Astros.
- The Cincinnati Reds are 10-2 SU in their last 12 games on the road.
- The Reds are 9-3 SU in their last 12 games on the road against Houston.
Cincinnati Reds vs Houston Astros 6/16/2023 Analysis, Picks and Previews
Houston and Washington will play their last game of the series on Thursday night. The ‘Stros, who had dropped five out of their previous six games overall, got back on track with a series victory over the Nationals. H-Town ranks 18th in terms of average runs scored per game (4.54), hits (.246), and OPS (.717). The Astros are now seventh in the league in terms of 44 stolen bases and 15th in terms of long balls in the air (78). The pitching staff had 33 quality starts, a first-place ERA of 3.25, and a seventh-place WHIP of 1.23.
France will unveil her home team on Friday. In his previous outing, he succeeded, holding Cleveland to three runs over 6.2 innings despite giving up 13 baserunners. The rookie right-hander fared considerably better in his prior start, holding the Los Angeles Angels to one run over seven innings on three hits and a walk. France’s K: BB ratio for this season is 35:15.
With 248 runs scored against them this year, Houston’s pitching staff had a team ERA of 3.25 (219 earned runs). They are the best in baseball, allowing 69 home runs and 3.68 runs per nine innings. This season, the Astros have a club WHIP of 1.236 and a staff FIP of 3.81. A K/BB ratio of 9.40 was achieved by THEM (637 strikeouts vs. 206 free passes). They are MLB’s 7th-ranked pitching staff with a total hit total of 544 allowed.
- The total stayed UNDER in 5 of Houston’s last 6 meetings with the Reds.
- The Houston Astros are 12-4 SU in their last 16 games at home.
- The Astros are 3-9 SU in their last 12 games at home against Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Reds vs. Houston Astros The MLB pick for this game is the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds have the third-best run line cover percentage in MLB (60.9%). They have a 20-9 road record and a 34-20 run line record when they are underdogs. They are playing well and have won six of their past seven straight-up games, making them a challenging opponent for AL West rivals. After a solid showing in May (.266/.337/.420/.756), Cincinnati’s performance at the plate this month was consistent (.244/.320/.405/.725). Compared to home, they hit better on the road (.259/.334/.392/.725). France, the starting pitcher for Houston’s last game, was out of control, surrendering seven singles and walking six hitters. If he is as erratic on Friday as he was against Cleveland, the Reds will have a great chance of covering the run line.
Cincinnati’s starting pitcher, Abbott, made a good first impression despite his inexperience by allowing only one hit in his Major League Baseball debut. If he doesn’t continue to walk too many hitters, he will have a bright career after shutting out his first two opponents. On Friday, the 2021 second-round draft selection will be able to keep his team in the contest. The Astros had lost six of their previous eight games before to playing the Nationals. The Reds, on the other hand, are scorching hot. They will get Thursday off, so Friday in Houston should find them rested and ready to play. It is expected that the Cincinnati Reds will triumph 6-4.
MLB Starting Time: 8:10 PM ET
Location: Minute Maid Park, TX
Date: Friday, June 16, 2023
TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest
MLB Odds: Cincinnati Reds +161
MLB Totals: 9
