With Paul Skenes set to oppose Jake Bloss in Game 1 of the Pirates vs. Astros series, is the under the best play tonight at 7.5?
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
973 Pittsburgh Pirates (-154) at 974 Houston Astros (+130); o/u 7.5
8:10 p.m. ET, Monday, July 29, 2024
Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX
Pirates vs. Astros: Public Bettors Leaning towards Pittsburgh
As of this writing, our MLB Public Betting Page shows that 54% of bets are on the Pirates’ moneyline. That said, this page is updated frequently so make sure that you click on the link provided so that you’re getting the most updated information.
O’Neil swats 17th home run of season
O’Neil Cruz swatted his 17th home run of the season on Sunday afternoon, helping to power the Pirates to an extra-inning victory over the Diamondbacks. The 25-year-old slugger committed some lefty-on-lefty crime for this one, clobbering a 408-foot (109.2-mph EV) solo shot off of Joe Mantiply in the sixth inning to get the Pirates on the board and pull them to within a run at 2-1. Cruz was also walked intentionally in the 10th inning and scored on a two-run single off the bat of Ke’Bryan Hayes. He finished the afternoon 1-for-3 plus a walk and is now hitting .253/.306/.469 with 17 homers, 53 RBI and nine stolen bases on the season.
Altuve hits pair of doubles vs. Dodgers
Jose Altuve went 2-for-3 with two doubles, a run scored, and a walk on Sunday against the Dodgers. Ho-hum, Altuve is still one of the best and most reliable bats in the league. Both his doubles were scalded and they pushed his batting average to .309 and OPS to .814 on the season. Those are the best and second-best marks for any second baseman in baseball as once again, Altuve has cashed in on his draft day cost.
Pirates vs. Astros MLB Betting Trends
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Houston’s last 18 games played on a Monday when at home.
Pirates are 2-9 SU in their last 11 games against an opponent in the American League West Division.
Astros are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games against an opponent in the National League.
Pirates are 11-3 SU in their last 14 games when playing as the favorite.
Pirates vs. Astros MLB BETTING PREDICTION
Take the under. The under is 6-2 in the Pirates’ last eight games overall, is 4-1 in their last five interleague contests and is 4-1 in their last five contests when listed as a favorite. On the other side, the under is 4-1 in the Astros’ last five home games, is 4-1 in their last five games played on a Monday and has cashed in four out of their last five matchups when listed as an underdog.
Pirates vs. Astros MLB Playoffs Prediction: UNDER 7.5