Want more proof the MLB regular season doesn’t matter much? The Atlanta Braves won just 88 games, easily the fewest of any team, and wouldn’t have been in the postseason if they didn’t play in the weak NL East. Yet here the Braves are entering Game 2 of the World Series on Wednesday night just three wins from their first title since 1995 after a 6-2 upset win in Game 1.
On the MLB futures odds, Atlanta is now a -165 series favorite and Houston +145, but the Braves did lose ace pitcher Charlie Morton to a broken leg in Game 1, so his season is over. The winner of the first game of the World Series has gone to win the Fall Classic 63 percent of the time.
Here are a few props picks from BMR’s top-rated sportsbooks.
Wednesday, October 27, 2021 – 08:09 PM EDT at Minute Maid Park
We hit on Braves to score first at -147 in Game 1, and I see no reason why to change with Atlanta again batting first as the road team. Jorge Soler, who had missed the entire NLCS on the COVID list, homered to lead off Game 1. Soler became the first player in World Series history to club a leadoff home run in the top of the first inning in Game 1 and the fifth player in World Series history to homer in his team’s first plate appearance.
After Soler’s homer, the Braves scored again on an Austin Riley double that plated Ozzie Albies for a 2-0 lead and they never looked back. In fact, Atlanta scored in the first three innings before Houston got its first run in the bottom of the second.
Tuesday made it six straight World Series games in which a run was scored in the first inning dating back to Game 2 of last year’s Fall Classic. A streak of seven games has happened only once: 1927-28.
Here are a few props picks from Bovada (visit our Bovada Review) and BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Team to Score First: Braves (-160) at Bovada
First Inning Run: Yes (-104) at Bovada
First Home Run of the Game: Solo (-160) at Bovada
Atlanta’s Rosario, the NLCS MVP, and Houston’s Tucker both stayed hot in Game 1 as Rosario was 2-for-5 with a run scored – he was dropped from leadoff with Soler back – and Tucker was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Rosario now has at least one hit in 11 straight games dating to Game 1 of the NLDS vs. Milwaukee. It was hit consecutive multi-hit game, tied for the third-longest such streak in franchise playoff history. The Braves record is five in a row by Otis Nixon (1992-93). Tucker now has 30 career playoff hits, which are tied with Yadier Molina for eighth-most all-time prior to turning 25.
Rosario has never faced tonight’s Houston starting pitcher Jose Urquidy and Tucker has never seen Atlanta starting pitcher Max Fried.
Total Hits, Runs, and RBIs: Eddie Rosario over 2.0 (-130) at BetOnline
Total Hits, Runs, and RBIs: Kyle Tucker under 2.0 (+105) at BetOnline
Total Hits, Runs, and RBIs: Rosario over Tucker (-130) at BetOnline
Most Total Bases: Yordan Alvarez vs. Joc Pederson
Keep in mind that this prop only counts hits, not walks, stolen bases, etc. Houston’s Yordan Alvarez was the ALCS MVP and entered Game 1 scorching hot, and he continued that by going 1-for-3 with a run scored. It was his second consecutive game with a triple. Alvarez became the 16th player in MLB playoff history to register consecutive games with a triple. If you can find an Alvarez triple prop, I can’t say I recommend that. Atlanta’s Joc Pederson is really an all-or-nothing guy and was 1-for-4 with a single in Game 1.
Most Total Bases: Yordan Alvarez (-154) at Bovada
Atlanta lefty Max Fried makes the first World Series start of his career and is 1-1 with a 3.78 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 16.2 innings in these playoffs. He was great in his first two outings – striking out at least five in both -- but knocked around a bit in the NLCS by the Dodgers when he lasted just 4.2 innings and struck out three. In the regular season, Fried whiffed 158 in 165.2 innings.
Houston’s Jose Urquidy has pitched just once in these playoffs and was rocked for six runs in 1.2 innings in the ALCS at Boston. In the regular season, he struck out 90 in 107.0 innings. He’s more of a fly-ball pitcher than a strikeout guy.
Total Strikeouts: Max Fried over 4.5 (-105) at BetOnline
Total Strikeouts: Jose Urquidy over 4.0 (-105) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.