Houston Astros (9-10) vs. Atlanta Braves (14-5)
The 2023 MLB season continues Saturday, April 22, with the Houston Astros squaring off against the Atlanta Braves in a marquee interleague showdown at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, and the first pitch is set for 7:20 PM ET.
Houston and Atlanta continue a three-game series, and Friday’s opener has been excluded from the analysis. The Braves open as small +100 home underdogs, while the totals are listed at 8.5 runs.
The Houston Astros have gone 5-4 over their previous nine games while failing to string a couple of wins. During that stretch, the reigning champions have won two three-game sets against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road and the Toronto Blue Jays at home, but they’ve also dropped a three-game home series versus the Texas Rangers.
The Astros are scoring 5.05 runs per game (9th in the MLB) on a .250/.330/.382 triple-slash (.247/.322/.403 league average). They’ve slugged just 19 home runs (tied-18th) and 29 doubles through their first 19 games of the season (tied-17th). On the other side of the ball, Houston is yielding 4.05 runs per contest (tied-8th). The Astros own a 3.30 ERA (6th) and a 1.25 WHIP (10th).
Can't stop, won't stop. pic.twitter.com/oI07IQTUmj
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 20, 2023
Framber Valdez will toe the slab Saturday, and the 29-year-old southpaw is 1-2 with a 1.80 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 25/8 K/BB ratio in four starts (25 innings pitched) this season. Last Sunday, Framber gave up five runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks while punching out seven across six innings of work in a heavy 9-1 loss to the Rangers.
Valdez led the American League in innings pitched last season (201.1). He was 17-6 with a shiny 2.82 ERA and a 194/67 K/BB ratio. Framber has never met Atlanta before, and the current Braves are 10-for-62 against him.