The 2021 World Series began on Tuesday, with the Atlanta Braves picking up a Game 1 victory over the Houston Astros. On Wednesday, Game 2 arrives at Minute Maid Park, and the home team faces a sense of urgency. The Astros will send Jose Urquidy to the mound for Game 2 as they aim to even the best-of-seven series. The Braves will turn to Max Fried with an eye toward a potential 2-0 lead.
First pitch is at 8:09 p.m. ET in Houston. Caesars Sportsbook lists Houston as a -111 favorite (risk $111 to win $100) on the money line, while the over-under, or total number of runs Vegas thinks will be scored, is 8.5 in the latest Braves vs. Astros odds. Before you make 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 317 MLB picks, Bollman has gone 184-132-1, returning more than $5,700. Anyone who has followed his picks has seen huge returns.
Now, Bollman has set his sights on Game 2 of the Braves vs. Astros World Series matchup and 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. Here are several MLB odds and World Series betting lines for Astros vs. Braves:
- Braves vs. Astros money line: Astros -111, Braves +101
- Braves vs. Astros over-under: 8.5 runs
- Braves vs. Astros run line: Astros -1.5 (+175)
- ATL: The Braves are 49-38 on the road this season
- HOU: The Astros are 55-32 in 2021 home games
Featured Game | Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves
Why you should back the Braves
Atlanta’s starting pitcher, 27-year-old left-hander Max Fried, is a real weapon in any setting. Fried enjoyed a 3.04 ERA in the regular season and a sterling 1.46 ERA in his final 11 starts. He is a proven playoff performer, headlined by a 3.35 ERA as a starting pitcher in seven outings, and Fried’s ceiling is immense. Offensively, the Braves are potent, with top-three marks in the National League in runs scored (790), home runs (237) and slugging percentage (.435) this season.
Atlanta was also a different team in the second half, leading the NL with 116 home runs and blasting away to a .447 slugging percentage following the All-Star break. Unlike some National League clubs, Atlanta’s offense is set up well for the designated hitter with extra outfield depth, and the Braves are led by star players at the top of the lineup.
Why you should back the Astros
After a slow start in Game 1, Houston’s offense is due for a bounce-back, and the Astros were MLB’s best offensive team in 2021. Led by eight players with double-digit home runs and plenty of star power, the Astros finished atop MLB leaderboards in runs scored (863), hits (1,496), batting average (.267), on-base percentage (.339) and weighted runs created plus (116). Houston was also a top-three team in OPS (.783), slugging percentage (.444), doubles (299) and strikeout avoidance, with a lineup that is deep and without tangible weakness.
Elsewhere, the Astros can have confidence in Urquidy, who takes the ball as the starting pitcher. The 26-year-old right-hander posted a 3.62 ERA during the regular season, and Urquidy allowed fewer than one base-runner per inning. He also commanded the zone quite well, generating 4.7 strikeouts for every walk, and opponents posted only a .257 on-base percentage against him in 2021.
How to make Braves vs. Astros picks
Bollman is taking the over on Alex Bregman’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. You can only see his MLB picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Braves vs. Astros in Game 2 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 Wednesday, all from the expert that has crushed his MLB picks, and find out.
