Betting Matchup Preview
Game Details
- Who: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Houston Astros
- When: Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022
- Time: 8:03 p.m. EST
- Where: Minute Maid Park (Houston, Texas)
Betting Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Phillies +120, Astros -142
- Runline: Phillies +1.5 (-176), Astros -1.5 (+146)
- Total: Over/Under 7.0 Runs (-124/-118)
Note: Odds and lines are current at the time of writing and are subject to change.
After sweeping the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Houston Astros were finally bested. Game 1 of the World Series was firmly in Houston’s control until Justin Verlander fell apart and allowed the Philadelphia Phillies five earned runs between the fourth and fifth innings.
It’s just the second game of a seven-game series, but this already feels like a must-win game for Houston. They cannot go to Philly down two games and expect to come away with a World Series title.
Houston’s starter Framber Valdez gets the nod for Game 2 after an exceptional playoffs up until now. In two postseason starts, Valdez has a 1.42 ERA in 12 ⅔ innings and a K/BB ratio of 15/3. Valdez also has great numbers against Philly, with a 0.00 ERA this season and an all-time batting average of .135.
For Philly, Zach Wheeler will try to give his team a commanding 2-0 lead on Saturday. Wheeler has been as good, if not better, than Valdez, with a 1.78 ERA in four playoff starts. He has been the most consistent pitcher in the postseason, with a K/BB ratio of 25/3. Wheeler has yet to face the Astros this season but has a .100 lifetime batting average against this roster.
The Astros’ loss in Game 1 was pretty uncharacteristic. They struck out 12 times and saw their best pitcher give up five ill-timed runs to erase a five-run lead. The bullpen led the MLB in ERA during the regular season but ceded a couple of clutch runs last night. It’s not unreasonable to expect them to get back on track tonight in a must-win Game 2.
Given Houston’s home-field advantage and need to win this game, it’s not surprising to see them as baseball betting favorites for this Game 2 based on the odds at sports betting sites.
Best Baseball Bet: Phillies vs. Astros
We continue to be impressed by the Phillies and their accomplishments this postseason. A win in Game 2 would be a massive accomplishment and put the Astros well on their back foot.
But the Astros are still a better team with a significant home-field advantage. They were let down last night by the least likely candidate in Verlander, and we don’t see that happening two games in a row. The Astros could cut down on strikeouts, make better decisions on the mound, and come away with a Game 2 win.
With Houston’s betting odds on the moneyline of -142 at FanDuel, a $100 wager would pay $70 in profits plus your initial stake back.
Same-Game Parlay: Phillies vs. Astros
Same-game parlays are a way to increase the odds and potential payout as opposed to making bets separately. For more information, check out our guide on how to bet on a same-game parlay.
Here are the three prop bets we’ve selected for Saturday’s World Series Game 2:
- J.T. Realmuto to Record a Hit (-180)
- Zach Wheeler over 4.5 Strikeouts (-164)
- Bryce Harper to Hit a Single (+110)
The first leg of our same game parlay is for last night’s hero, J.T. Realmuto, to record a hit. Not only does Realmuto have a lot of momentum coming off a Game 1 victory, but he also has a .500 lifetime batting average against Valdez.
The second leg of our parlay is for SP Zach Wheeler to fan five or more Astros. We said above that we expect Houston to cut down on the dozen strikeouts from last night, but five is not a high bar for Wheeler to reach. He has 16 combined strikeouts in his previous two games and has gone over this total in three straight postseason starts.
Closing out or same game parlay is Bryce Harper recording a single. Harper is hitting an insane .426 during the playoffs and had two singles in Game 1. He is the leader of this team, and a single base hit isn’t a lot to ask at these odds.
Combining this trio of wagers into a same-game parlay raises the odds to +422 at FanDuel Sportsbook. At that price, a winning $100 bet would return $422 in profits along with your original wager.
