Astros vs. Dodgers Pick
Are the Houston Astros going to upset the host Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series? First pitch Tuesday night is at 8:09PM EST.
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Dodgers are a -173 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Astros are a +148 underdog and the over-under is 7.
Pitching for the Astros will be Dallas Keuchel (14-5, 2.90 ERA), while the Dodgers will counter with Clayton Kershaw (18-4, 2.31). It is only the fifth time that two former Cy Young Award winners have opposed each other in Game 1 of a World Series. Keuchel carried a 1.12 WHIP with 125 strikeouts in 145 2/3 innings during the regular season. He surrendered four earned runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts and one walk over 4 2/3 innings of a 5-0 loss at the Yankees in Game 5 of the ALCS. He is 2-1 with a 2.60 ERA in three postseason starts, allowing five earned runs on 14 hits with 25 strikeouts and five walks over 17 1/3 innings. Keuchel is 8-2 with a 3.53 ERA in 74 road innings this year. Kershaw sported a 0.95 WHIP with 202 strikeouts in 175 innings during the regular season. He gave up one earned run on three hits with five strikeouts and one walk over five innings in an 11-1 Game 5 victory at the Cubs to clinch a spot in the World Series. Kershaw has a 1-1 record in three postseason starts as he has allowed seven earned runs on 12 hits with 16 strikeouts and five walks in 17 1/3 innings. He is 9-2 with a 2.58 ERA in 90 2/3 home innings.
Houston advanced to the World Series via a 4-0 home victory over the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS Saturday night. Charlie Morton allowed two hits and struck out five in five shutout innings to post the win. Lance McCullers Jr. threw the final four innings, with his final 23 pitches incredibly being all curveballs. He gave up one hit and walked one while striking out six to pick up the save. Evan Gattis and Jose Altuve both hit a solo home run in the victory. Brian McCann was 1-for-2 with a two-run double and two walks. Carlos Correa went 2-for-4 and scored a run.
The Dodgers clinched their spot in the World Series with a career night from Kiki Hernandez as he was 3-for-4 with three home runs, a walk and seven RBIs. Chris Taylor was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs. Cody Bellinger finished 3-for-5 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Logan Forsythe chipped in with a two-run double. Yasiel Puig was 2-for-5 and scored three runs. Charlie Culberson was 3-for-5 with a triple.
Houston and Los Angeles have not met since 20015 when the Astros swept a three-game series at home. All three of those games went under the total. Houston is 21-7 in its last 28 overall, while Los Angeles is 40-14 in its last 54 home games.
Kershaw is in a class of his own, but he hasn’t had his greatest-ever season and has had a few hiccups since returning from a back injury a couple months ago. Keuchel is an elite talent in his own right and will keep the baseball in the yard for the most part with his extreme ground ball ratio. The Dodgers have been prone to have issues against left-handed pitching more than righties. Houston is a very strong team in all facets and getting it at this price seems like a great value, even against Kershaw. The Astros have routinely mashed left-handers in 2017.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: HOUSTON ASTROS +148