Houston @ Athletics picks

In his sixth start of the season, Colton Gordon tossed 102 pitches after throwing just 75 pitches in his previous two starts. It’s a massive jump in workload and one I hope hurts his efficiency today on the road vs. the Athletics with good-hitting weather. Sacramento is one of the best hitter settings in baseball and there is a 13-mph wind blowing out to center field. Getting an early hook is in the range of outcomes today for a pitcher who has gone 18 outs just once this year and needed to smash his average in pitches to do it. Gordon was a K/inning guy in Triple-A so his K/inning mark with the big club could see some regression. He also owns a 35% groundball rate which is poor and if his o2.5 earned runs were 15 points longer, I’d play that too at -125 or better. Five innings and four strikeouts is where I have this one. 

When assessing his home run talent, Christian Walker ranks in the 94th percentile according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Christian Walker is projected to bat 5th in the batting order in today's game.. The leading projection system (THE BAT) ranks Sutter Health Park as the 8th-best park in the league for boosting offensive stats to RHB.. Sutter Health Park has the 5th-lowest fence height (on average) in the league.. The wind projects to be blowing out to LF at 15-mph in this contest, the 4th-strongest of the day for batters.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Jose Altuve in the 90th percentile when estimating his batting average ability.. Jose Altuve is projected to hit 3rd in the lineup in this matchup.. The leading projection system (THE BAT) ranks Sutter Health Park as the 8th-best park in the league for boosting offensive stats to RHB.. Sutter Health Park has the 5th-lowest fence height (on average) in the league.. The wind projects to be blowing out to LF at 15-mph in this contest, the 4th-strongest of the day for batters.

Brent Rooker projects as the 15th-best hitter in MLB, via the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Brent Rooker is penciled in 3rd in the lineup today.. The leading projection system (THE BAT) ranks Sutter Health Park as the 8th-best park in the league for boosting offensive stats to RHB.. Sutter Health Park has the 5th-lowest fence height (on average) in the league.. The wind projects to be blowing out to LF at 15-mph in this contest, the 4th-strongest of the day for batters.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Tyler Soderstrom in the 87th percentile as it relates to his home run skill.. Tyler Soderstrom is projected to bat 4th on the lineup card in this game.. Sutter Health Park grades out as the #8 venue in the majors for overall left-handed offense, via the leading projection system (THE BAT).. Sutter Health Park has the 5th-lowest fence height (on average) in the league.. The wind projects to be blowing out to LF at 15-mph in this contest, the 4th-strongest of the day for batters.

Isaac Paredes is penciled in 2nd in the lineup today.. The leading projection system (THE BAT) ranks Sutter Health Park as the 8th-best park in the league for boosting offensive stats to RHB.. Sutter Health Park has the 5th-lowest fence height (on average) in the league.. The wind projects to be blowing out to LF at 15-mph in this contest, the 4th-strongest of the day for batters.. Isaac Paredes will hold the platoon advantage over Jacob Lopez in today's game.

As it relates to his home run talent, Lawrence Butler ranks in the 86th percentile according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Lawrence Butler is projected to bat 1st in the lineup in this game.. Sutter Health Park has the 5th-lowest fence height (on average) in the league.. The wind projects to be blowing out to LF at 15-mph in this contest, the 4th-strongest of the day for batters.. Home field advantage typically bolsters hitter metrics in all categories, and Lawrence Butler will hold that advantage in today's game.

As it relates to his home run talent, Lawrence Butler ranks in the 86th percentile according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Lawrence Butler is projected to bat 1st in the lineup in this game.. Sutter Health Park grades out as the #8 venue in the majors for overall left-handed offense, via the leading projection system (THE BAT).. Sutter Health Park has the 5th-lowest fence height (on average) in the league.. The wind projects to be blowing out to LF at 15-mph in this contest, the 4th-strongest of the day for batters.

When assessing his home run talent, Christian Walker ranks in the 94th percentile according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. The leading projection system (THE BAT) ranks Sutter Health Park as the 8th-best park in the league for boosting offensive stats to RHB.. Sutter Health Park has the 5th-lowest fence height (on average) in the league.. The wind projects to be blowing out to LF at 15-mph in this contest, the 4th-strongest of the day for batters.. Batting from the opposite that Jacob Lopez throws from, Christian Walker will have an edge today.

Luis Urias's BABIP ability is projected in the 4th percentile by the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Luis Urias is penciled in 7th in the batting order in this game.. This year, Luis Urias has been replaced by a pinch-hitter in 14% of his appearances when starting against southpaw.. Low humidity has a small but significant link with less offense (and more Ks), and the weather forecast predicts the driest conditions of all games today at 38%.. In today's matchup, Luis Urias is at a disadvantage facing the league's 6th-deepest LF fences given that he hits his flyballs to the pull field at a 38% rate (96th percentile).

The leading projection system (THE BAT) ranks Sutter Health Park as the 8th-best park in the league for boosting offensive stats to RHB.. Sutter Health Park has the 5th-lowest fence height (on average) in the league.. The wind projects to be blowing out to LF at 15-mph in this contest, the 4th-strongest of the day for batters.. Extreme flyball hitters like Victor Caratini tend to perform better against extreme groundball pitchers like Jacob Lopez.. Posting a .263 batting average this year, Victor Caratini is ranked in the 76th percentile.