Athletics @ Houston picks

Ryan Gusto has not done a good job of slowing left-handed bats this season, allowing a .297 average, 1.90 WHIP, and 2.1 homers per nine innings. They’re hitting for average and insane power. This is a nice spot for Soderstrom, who has failed to clear 1.5 H+R+R in three straight games, to get back on track.

Brent Rooker projects as the 14th-best batter in baseball, according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Brent Rooker is projected to hit 4th in the lineup in this game.. Brent Rooker pulls a high percentage of his flyballs (33.6% — 79th percentile) and is a great match for the park considering he'll be hitting them towards baseball's 2nd-shallowest LF fences today.. In the past week's worth of games, Brent Rooker's Barrel% has experienced a surge, jumping from his seasonal rate of 14.9% up to 21.4%.. Compared to his seasonal average of 14.9°, Brent Rooker has significantly improved his launch angle in recent games, posting a 21° figure in the past two weeks.

When assessing his home run ability, Shea Langeliers ranks in the 94th percentile according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Shea Langeliers is penciled in 4th in the lineup in this matchup.. Shea Langeliers pulls many of his flyballs (34.6% — 86th percentile) and has the good fortune of hitting them towards the game's 2nd-shallowest LF fences in today's matchup.. Shea Langeliers's ability to hit the ball at a HR-maximizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) has increased of late, increasing from 14.7% on the season to 23.5% over the last week.. Based on Statcast data, the leading projection system (THE BAT X)'s version of Expected Batting Average (.270) suggests that Shea Langeliers has suffered from bad luck this year with his .243 actual batting average.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Lawrence Butler in the 83rd percentile when assessing his home run talent.. Lawrence Butler is projected to bat 1st on the lineup card today.. Lawrence Butler will have the benefit of the platoon advantage against Ryan Gusto in today's matchup.. Lawrence Butler has a 91st percentile opposite-field rate on his flyballs (36.3%) and will have a big advantage hitting them out towards the league's 2nd-shallowest LF fences in today's matchup.. In the past 7 days, Lawrence Butler's 66.7% rate of hitting balls at a base hit-maximizing launch angle (between -4° and 26°) shows big improvement over his seasonal rate of 45.2%.

When assessing his home run skill, Christian Walker ranks in the 92nd percentile according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Christian Walker is projected to hit 3rd in the lineup today.. Christian Walker will hold the platoon advantage against Jeffrey Springs in today's game.. Christian Walker pulls many of his flyballs (33.4% — 77th percentile) and will have a big advantage hitting them towards the league's 2nd-shallowest LF fences in today's game.. Christian Walker will hold the home field advantage in today's matchup, which ought to bolster all of his stats.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Jose Altuve in the 91st percentile when assessing his batting average ability.. Jose Altuve is projected to hit 2nd in the batting order in this matchup.. Hitting from the opposite that Jeffrey Springs throws from, Jose Altuve will have an advantage in today's matchup.. Jose Altuve pulls a high percentage of his flyballs (41% — 99th percentile) and sets up very well considering he'll be hitting them towards MLB's 2nd-shallowest LF fences in today's game.. Jose Altuve will hold the home field advantage in today's game, which should improve all of his stats.

Victor Caratini has primarily hit in the back-half of the lineup this year (53% of the time), but he is projected to hit 3rd in the lineup in today's game.. Among every team playing today, the 2nd-weakest outfield defense is that of the the Athletics.. Home field advantage generally boosts batter metrics across the board, and Victor Caratini will hold that advantage in today's game.. With a .274 batting average this year, Victor Caratini is ranked in the 77th percentile.

In Major League Baseball, Minute Maid Park's LF fences are the 2nd-shallowest.. Brice Matthews will have the benefit of the platoon advantage against Jeffrey Springs in today's matchup.. Home field advantage typically bolsters batter metrics across the board, and Brice Matthews will hold that advantage in today's game.. Over the last 14 days, Brice Matthews's Barrel% has experienced a surge, jumping from his seasonal rate of 38.5% up to 38.5%.. Compiling a 94.4-mph average exit velocity over the past two weeks, Brice Matthews has been in great form in recent games.

Brent Rooker projects as the 14th-best batter in baseball, according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Brent Rooker is projected to hit 3rd in the lineup in this game.. Brent Rooker pulls a high percentage of his flyballs (33.6% — 79th percentile) and is a great match for the park considering he'll be hitting them towards baseball's 2nd-shallowest LF fences today.. In the past week's worth of games, Brent Rooker's Barrel% has experienced a surge, jumping from his seasonal rate of 14.9% up to 21.4%.. Compared to his seasonal average of 14.9°, Brent Rooker has significantly improved his launch angle in recent games, posting a 21° figure in the past two weeks.

In Major League Baseball, Minute Maid Park's LF fences are the 2nd-shallowest.

Brent Rooker projects as the 14th-best batter in baseball, according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Brent Rooker is projected to hit 4th in the lineup in this game.. Brent Rooker pulls a high percentage of his flyballs (33.6% — 79th percentile) and is a great match for the park considering he'll be hitting them towards baseball's 2nd-shallowest LF fences today.. In the past week's worth of games, Brent Rooker's Barrel% has experienced a surge, jumping from his seasonal rate of 14.9% up to 21.4%.. Compared to his seasonal average of 14.9°, Brent Rooker has significantly improved his launch angle in recent games, posting a 21° figure in the past two weeks.