Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics 7/20/2023 Predictions, Free Picks and Odds
On Thursday, July 20, 2023, at 9:40 PM ET, the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics will play an MLB game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CA. The series will begin on Thursday night with J.P. France receiving the ball. In his previous start against the Angels, France battled and finished with a no-decision despite allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits in 4.1 innings. The young pitcher, who had a sound 3.31 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and a 4-3 record in 70.2 innings pitched, helped to contribute to the Astros’ pitching staff’s devastation by injuries. He is taking on the A’s for the first time in his career.
Houston won a vital road series against the Angels last weekend, and on Tuesday and Wednesday, it won one of two games in Colorado. The Astros have gone 5-5 over their last ten games and are 4.5 out of first place in their division. Houston now has the final Wildcard berth. It’s predicted that Alvarez will make a comeback either in early August or the following week.
With 96 chances to make saves going into the game, the Astros bullpen had a save percentage of 65.1%. Bullpen pitchers have been handed 83 runners this season, and 34.9% of those runners have advanced. Astros pitchers entered the game 53 times with runners on base, totaling 93 outings under pressure. The Astros have employed 299 pitchers from the bullpen since the start of the campaign. With 52 total holds, the bullpen relievers are 14th in the league. They’ve had 43 chances to make saves this season, but just 15 of them have been successful.
- The Houston Astros are 7-0 SU in their last seven matches against the Athletics.
- The Astros are 8-3 SU in their last 11 matches on the road.
- Houston is 8-4 SU in their last 12 matches on the road against Oakland.
Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics 7/20/2023 Predictions, Free Picks and Odds
Alex Bregman needs to be more consistent lately. The 29-year-old third baseman has a below-average OPS for the month of 0.693 and only six RBIs. Bregman has an excellent season OPS of.740 and 59 RBIs. Bregman, who hit 0.308 with five RBIs and the Astros’ 4.73 run average per game, was a challenging out for the A’s. The pitching staff remains excellent and ranks seventh with a team ERA of 3.79.
Hogan Harris will enter the field to begin the series. Harris gave up five runs in just four innings against the Twins in his previous start, but he was able to walk away with a no-decision. The rookie Southpaw had a dismal 6.51 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, a 2-3 record, and 47 innings pitched in his first major league outing. Harris has struck out 13 batters in his previous four starts.
Oakland bullpen relievers have a 39.5% inherited scoring rate out of 185 inherited base runners. When there were runners on base and 112 other high-stakes scenarios, their relievers entered the game. Out of 60 save chances, the Athletics recorded 27 holds and 17 unsuccessful saves. This season, they have 324 relief pitchers on the field, and with a save percentage of 46.9%, they are presently ranked 30th in the league. Oakland relievers took the mound in 32 save opportunities, recording 15 saves.
- The total went OVER in four of the Athletics’ last six games.
- The Oakland Athletics are 2-8 SU in their last ten outings.
- The total stayed UNDER in four of Oakland’s last six matches against the Astros.
Houston Rockets vs. Oakland Athletics. The MLB pick for this game is the Houston Astros. For the Houston Astros to significantly advance in the divisional and wildcard contests, they are motivated to win this series. The A’s keep screwing up. They have lost eight of their last ten rulings. The Astros’ starter, J.P. France, is also dependable. The rookie’s last three appearances have resulted in victories for the Astros, and his 2.43 ERA in June was imposing. Hogan Harris, the starter, has given up at least four runs in his previous four outings while the A’s offense struggles. The Astros should prevail in this series after scoring 21 runs in their sweeping of the A’s in May. We predict that the Houston Astros will triumph 6-3.
MLB Starting Time: 9:40 PM ET
Location: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, CA
Date: Thursday, July 20, 2023
TV: NBC Sports California
MLB Odds: Houston Astros -182
MLB Totals: 8.5
