The 2021 World Series could conclude on Sunday evening. The Atlanta Braves, leading 3-1, host the Houston Astros in Game 5 of the best-of-seven clash. Atlanta won the first two games at Truist Park, including a 3-2 victory on Saturday. Houston must win on Sunday to avoid elimination, with Framber Valdez on the mound to begin Game 5.
First pitch is at 8:15 p.m. ET in Atlanta. Caesars Sportsbook lists Houston as a -115 favorite (risk $115 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 Astros vs. Braves odds. Before you make any Braves vs. Astros 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 322 MLB picks, Bollman has gone 189-132-1, returning more than $6,200. Anyone who has followed his picks has seen huge returns.
Now, Bollman has set his sights on Game 5 of the Astros vs. Braves World Series 2021 matchup and 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 Braves vs. Astros:
- Astros vs. Braves money line: Astros -115, Braves +105
- Astros vs. Braves over-under: 8.5 runs
- Astros vs. Braves run line: Braves +1.5 (-160)
- HOU: The Astros are 47-41 in 2021 road games
- ATL: The Braves are 49-38 in home games this season
Featured Game | Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros
Why you should back the Astros
Houston has lost back-to-back games for the first time since August, but the Astros have strength to rely on in a pivotal situation. The Astros have the best offense in baseball, leading the league with 863 runs scored this season. Houston also led the league in batting average (.267) and on-base percentage (.339), and the Astros are facing a Braves team that is now short-handed in its rotation after the loss of Charlie Morton.
The Astros have power, headlined by a .444 slugging percentage and 222 home runs during the regular season, and Houston also avoids strikeouts at a high level, increasing positive variance by putting the ball in play. Eight players struck double-digit home runs during the regular season, and Houston has star power with Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Kyle Tucker and AL batting champion Yuli Gurriel, all of whom have the ability to explode against a taxed Atlanta bullpen.
Why you should back the Braves
Atlanta’s offense has carried the team for long stretches this season, and the Braves have received world-class contributions from Eddie Rosario in the playoffs. Rosario sports a .426/.475/.685 slash line in 14 playoff games, adding to his offensive contributions with some big plays in the field, but it is the run prevention of the Braves that is currently leading the way. Atlanta’s bullpen has been thoroughly dominant, posting a 2.89 ERA in the postseason with 74 strikeouts in 65.1 innings. The numbers are even better when isolating only the top relievers for the Braves, and they will lean on their elite group in Game 4.
Opponents are hitting just .221 against Atlanta’s relievers in the playoffs, with closer Will Smith throwing 10 scoreless innings with six saves. In front of him, Tyler Matzek has dominated in high-leverage situations, posting a 1.98 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 13.2 innings. From there, AJ Minter continues his playoff dominance from the 2020 season, generating 16 strikeouts in 11 innings and posting a sparkling 0.82 ERA against quality competition.
How to make Braves vs. Astros picks
Bollman is going over on total bases for Houston’s Alvarez and has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the money line. He’s also 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 5 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 Sunday, all from the expert that has crushed his MLB picks, and find out.
