They fought to the bitter end in last season’s World Series and two of the best teams in baseball square off on FOX Saturday Baseball when the AL leading Houston Astros visit the surging Atlanta Braves in the middle of a three-game set. Just biding their time, the Astros eventually overtook the Yankees as the top team in the junior circuit by playing consistently good baseball giving them the biggest division lead in the AL. And they have a score to settle after losing the 2021 Fall Classic in six games despite ending the season with five more victories. This is the only series between the clubs unless they meet in October in a rematch.
First pitch for this interleague contest between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves is set for 7:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 20, 2022. The game will air live on FOX from Truist Park. BookMaker.eu will have betting options for every game of the MLB season.
MLB Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Odds Analysis
The way the teams are playing a World Series rematch is a possibility. It’s all about getting hot at the right time, which is exactly what the Braves did last year. They took advantage of a weak division winning NL East entering the postseason with the fewest wins of any playoff team. They were three games under .500 at the start of August before going on a tear culminating the season with a 4-2 series win. The Braves started slowly this season but turned it around much sooner. They were just 23-27 on June 1 before rattling off 14 straight victories. They haven’t looked back getting to 72-46 with an eight-game winning streak.
The most successful run in franchise history continues despite some of the names changing. Going through three seasons of 100 or more losses allowed the Astros to build their prospect pool and along with some savvy trades and signings they are still winning a lot of games. On pace for their eighth straight winning season and fifth AL West title in six seasons, this might be the best team of the bunch. And they got better with the recent return of Lance McCullers Jr. to one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. The Astros boast an ERA just over 3.00 with a 1.10 WHIP to rank second in MLB. And starters have delivered the most quality outings of any team pushing the UNDER to 70-45-3.
Without McCullers and Justin Verlander for the World Series matchup, Houston’s staff struggled. Framber Valdez and Saturday’s scheduled starter Cristian Javier combined for a 16.42 ERA over 7.2 innings. They’ve been much better this season, but those numbers sting. Houston averaged just 3.33 runs in the World Series getting blanked twice with the UNDER 4-1-1.
Probable Pitchers
Looking at the numbers of Cristian Javier (7-8, 2.96 ERA) you’d expect him to have a winning record. A sub-3.00 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP over 106.1 innings is pretty impressive. Unfortunately he doesn’t get a lot of run support with his mates averaging 3.33 runs with three runs or less scored in 10 of his 18 starts. He’s been solid in three starts this month pitching to a 1.50 ERA with a 0.83 WHIP going six innings in each outing. After the Astros scored just once in the first two games Javier took it upon himself last time out shutting out Oakland on one hit with six strikeouts to earn his first win since July 1. Javier appeared in three games in the World Series giving up four hits, three of which left the yard, and four runs over three innings. He blew a save in Game 4 giving up a two-run homer to Dansby Swanson in the seventh in a 3-2 loss.
The mustachioed Spencer Strider (7-4, 3.04 ERA) has become a folk hero in Atlanta largely because of his facial hair. But his performance on the bump has kept him in the rotation. His first 11 appearances came in relief with a 2.22 ERA and 1.03 WHIP over 24.1 innings. He fanned 37 batters with a .167 OBA. That was enough and he’s been good since joining the rotation allowing two runs or less in 10 of 14 starts. There is no in-between with him, though. He yielded at least four runs in the other four starts averaging just over three innings per start. He’ll be facing the Astros for the first time.
Astros at Braves MLB Odds Pick
Two strong teams should make for a great game, and when you add in the World Series reference it gets even bigger. The Braves have been streaky putting together a few long winning streaks as they to track down the Mets. It’s a big game but there is more on the line for the Braves, and they are one of the best at home.
MLB Odds Prediction: Atlanta Braves / UNDER
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
Check out the latest odds at BookMaker
