The 2021 World Series begins with Game 1 on Tuesday evening. The Atlanta Braves visit the Houston Astros for the opener of a best-of-seven series with a championship on the line. The Braves toppled the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, prevailing over the reigning World Series champions in six games. The Houston Astros defeated the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS to advance to the Fall Classic.
First pitch is at 8:09 p.m. ET in Houston. Caesars Sportsbook lists Houston as a -130 favorite (risk $130 to win $100) on the money line, while the over-under, or total number of runs Vegas thinks will be scored, is eight in the latest Braves vs. Astros odds. There are also hundreds of World Series prop bets to consider for this matchup. Before making any Astros vs. Braves picks or MLB predictions for the World Series 2021, you need to see what SportsLine’s No. 1 MLB expert John Bollman has to say.
Bollman combines MLB front-office experience with a deep statistical background. Bollman, who has a master’s degree in biostatistics, worked in the Toronto Blue Jays’ analytics department in 2018, focusing on high-performance sports science and player development.
In his last 315 MLB picks, Bollman has gone 183-132, returning more than $5,500. Anyone who has followed his picks has seen huge returns.
Now, Bollman has set his sights on Game 1 of the Braves vs. Astros World Series matchup and he just revealed his coveted MLB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his all of his World Series picks and analysis. Now, here are several MLB odds and World Series betting lines for Astros vs. Braves:
- Braves vs. Astros money line: Astros -130, Braves +120
- Braves vs. Astros over-under: 8 runs
- Braves vs. Astros run line: Astros -1.5 (+150)
- ATL: The Braves are 48-38 on the road this season
- HOU: The Astros are 55-31 in home games this season
Featured Game | Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves
Why you should back the Braves
Atlanta is a very strong offensive team, but the Braves also have the advantage in starting pitching in Game 1. Charlie Morton was one of the best starting pitchers in the National League this season, posting a 3.34 ERA. The veteran right-hander is also accustomed to big games, posting a 3.45 ERA in his postseason career. Morton was a top-10 pitcher in the NL in wins above replacement, ranking in the top eight in both innings pitched (185.2) and strikeout rate (10.47 strikeouts per nine innings).
Morton does not beat himself, giving up only 2.81 walks and 0.78 home runs per nine innings, and he ranked No. 4 in the National League in allowing only 6.6 hits per nine innings this season. Morton, a former Astro, should also be familiar with the opponent in this setting, even as the Braves and Astros have not played in a regular season or postseason game since 2017.
Why you should back the Astros
Houston’s offense has been the best in baseball this season. The Astros led Major League Baseball in runs (863), hits (1,496), batting average (.267) and on-base percentage (.267) this season, while also leading the league in various catch-all offensive metrics. Houston is deep and talented offensively, and the Astros will also send their hottest pitcher to the mound in Game 1. Left-hander Framber Valdez gets the ball to open the series, and he posted a very strong 3.14 ERA in 22 starts this season.
Valdez also held the Boston Red Sox to just one run over a sterling, eight-inning performance in Game 5 of the ALCS. The Braves have a strong lineup, but Atlanta is also facing a starter that allowed only a .626 OPS to right-handed hitters in 2021, which Valdez can use to his advantage in Game 1.
How to make Braves vs. Astros picks
Bollman is taking the over on Kyle Tucker’s total bases as one of his favorite Braves vs. Astros props. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the money line, and he’s locked in several other strong 2021 World Series prop bets, including a couple that return higher than 2-1. You can only see his MLB picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Braves vs. Astros in Game 1 of the 2021 World Series? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the money line a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of Braves vs. Astros you need to jump on Tuesday, all from the expert that has crushed his MLB picks, and find out.
