Astros/A's Over 8 Makes It Look Like Christmas In August
Jordan Lyles can't average 5 innings a game the last month. He has an 11.17 ERA in his last 4 games. Also in his last 4 games, 23.5% of his fly balls have been home runs. Seeing that he is averaging only 42.9% ground balls, he's liable to allow a couple of them, even in Oakland. After Jordan contributes his 4 2/3 innings, we have that wonderful Astros bullpen to look forward to that has a 5.24 xFIP over the last 2 weeks. Oakland might get the 8 runs by themselves.
I also think Bartolo will help out. He can say all he wants to that he has been sick, but his numbers are not like April and May. He's an old man getting weary, and I think Houston will score about 2-3 runs tonight. His xFIP has gradually gone up each month, and the only thing that has saved him is that his OB% has done the same thing (86.9% in July). That tells me he has been bend but not break.