Astros Scrambling for Answers as Braves Visit
Braves vs Astros Odds: Houston Among MLB Worst at 6-12 ATS
Houston’s woes worsened Monday as it opened its series against Atlanta with a 6-1 loss. The Astros were held scoreless over the final eight games as they dropped to 6-12 on the season, last place in the American League West.
Tuesday (8:10 p.m. ET), the Astros will look to bounce back as they continue their three-game set against the Braves at Minute Maid Park.
Atlanta is -1.5 (+136) on the run line and -115 on the moneyline. Comparatively, Houston is +1.5 (-162) on the spread and -105 to win outright. Meanwhile, the projected total is 9.5.
What should bettors expect? Read on as we break down both MLB teams and assess the Braves vs Astros odds in our MLB game preview.
Atlanta Braves at Houston Astros 
Location: Minute Maid Park; Houston
Day/Time: Streaming: TNT
Braves vs Astros Betting Trends
The Atlanta Braves are 7-8 against the run line, including 6-3 away from home. A majority of Atlanta’s games have trended toward the Over, as the Braves are 10-4-1 against the Over/Under. Meanwhile, the Houston Astros are 6-12 ATS, including just 4-7 at home. As for the Over/Under, the Astros are 8-9-1.
Be sure to remember these betting trends when assessing the Braves vs Astros odds.
Booming Start in Atlanta
Atlanta’s bats are off to a thunderous start, leading MLB with a .301 team average while ranking third in runs scored (97). Designed hitter Marcell Ozuna has been the Braves’ hottest hitter, batting .365 with seven home runs and an MLB-leading 22 RBI.
In many ways, it’s the continuation of last season, when the Braves lineup led baseball in practically every statistical offensive category. The Braves won 104 games and their sixth straight National League East title before flaming out in the NL Divisional Series.
Will this year be any different? Expectations are obviously huge. The Braves — projected for 102 wins, second to the Dodgers‘ 104.5 — are +230 to win the NL and +425 to win the World Series. Only the Dodgers (+320) have better World Series odds.
For the most part, the Braves (10-5) keep winning. However, their pitching is noticeably weaker without All-Star Spencer Strider, who is out for the foreseeable future after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That should ratchet up the pressure on Wednesday’s starter, Max Fried, who was hit hard in his first two starts before bouncing back to beat the Marlins.
Given their offensive proficiency, it’s no wonder the Braves have gone Over the total in 10 of their first 15 games for cover rate of 71.4%. That ranks third in MLB behind only Cincinnati and Milwaukee. Take note of that when analyzing the Braves vs Astros odds.
Trouble in Houston?
Houston has struggled mightily out of the gate, getting off to an American League West-worst 6-12 start. At the moment, only the 2-14 White Sox have fewer wins in the AL.
That’s obviously a far cry from expectations, which have the Astros competing for another AL pennant. Houston — projected for 92 wins — is still +500 to win the AL and +1000 to win the World Series, the fourth-shortest odds on the board behind only the Dodgers (+320), Braves (+425) and Yankees (+800).
The Astros’ biggest issue out of the gate has been their pitching, which has produced an AL-worst 5.35 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. Injuries to rotation fixtures Framber Valdez (elbow) and Justin Verlander (shoulder) have not helped, nor has Josh Hader’s rocky start. The All-Star closer — who signed a $95 million deal this past offseason — has an unsightly 9.39 ERA in his first 7.2 innings as an Astro. He was tagged for four runs in 1/3 inning in Monday’s loss.
As concerning as that may be, the Astros should start to see better results before long. The lineup is still extremely potent, with Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, and Alex Bregman nestled at the top.
Thus, bettors should not put too much stock in recent MLB scores. That includes Houston’s 6-12 record against the run line or minus-18 run differential.
Remaining Series Probables
Reynaldo Lopez vs Hunter Brown
Lopez — signed to a three-year, $30 million deal this offseason — has allowed just one run over his first 12 innings as a Brave. Lopez is a converted reliever who posted a 3.27 ERA while pitching for the White Sox, Angels and Guardians last season. Opponents batted just .188 against him.
The Astros will counter with Brown, who was tagged for nine runs in just 2/3 an inning in his last start, a 13-3 loss to Kansas City. Brown allowed 11 hits, including a homer. His ERA now stands at 16.43 through three starts.
Can he respond? Keep an eye on that as we break down the MLB pitching matchups and odds.
Max Fried vs J.P. France
After allowing 11 runs over his first two starts, Fried bounced back to beat Miami. The All-Star southpaw held the Marlins to just one run on four hits over 6.1 innings in an 8-1 win, lowering his ERA to 8.74.
Fried will oppose France, who is 0-2 with an 8.22 ERA through three starts. Both losses came against AL West rival Texas, as France allowed a combined 11 runs in 9.2 innings.
Braves vs Astros Runline
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