Houston Astros vs Philadelphia Phillies Game 1 Betting Preview
The Astros and Phillies are somewhat familiar with each other this season as they played a 3-game set in early October in which the Astors took two of three games at Minute Maid Park. Sportsmemo MLB handicapper Eric Pauly gives his Houston Astros vs Philadelphia Phillies World Series Game 1 betting preview.
Friday, October 28 | World Series Game 1 Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
---|---|
Moneyline: | Houston Astros -178 vs Philadelphia Phillies +150 |
Runline: | Astros -1.5 (+140) / Phillies +1.5 (-160) |
Total: | 6.5 Runs (Over -125 / Under +105) |
Game Time: | 8:03pm ET / 5:03pm PT |
Where: | Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX |
Weather: | Retractable Roof |
Houston Astros vs Philadelphia Phillies Game 1 Analysis
Believe it or not, after a long summer of baseball, we have finally made it to the Fall Classic. On Friday night, the Astros host the Phillies in game one of the 2022 World Series.
Both teams have been dominant in the postseason in their respective leagues, and now these two teams face off to see who will be world champions. For game one, the Astros are -170 favorites, the run line is 1.5, and the total is 6.5 runs.
Verlander Eager For First World Series Win
Houston was the No. 1 seed in the American League, and it is easy to see why. Houston has one of the, if not the, best all-around teams in the Majors and they are four wins away from their second title in six years. The Astros are 7-0 so far this postseason and they are rolling.
This team dominates the opposition with amazing starting pitching, the best bullpen in the MLB, a tough lineup that hits for contact and power, and great defense. This team is in the midst of a mini-dynasty and they have all the tools to continue their winning ways, especially since they have home-field advantage.
Justin Verlander will take the mound for the Astros tonight for game one. Verlander has had an average postseason so far, and throughout his illustrious career, he actually is 0-6 on the mound in World Series games.
His first start against the playoffs was a rough one against Seattle, but his second start against the Yankees was dominant. Verlander has been amazing at home this season and his splits are insane. In 88 innings in Houston, Verlander has a 1.64 ERA, a .201 batting average against, a .269 slugging percentage against, a .88 WHIP, and a 1.70 FIP.
Verlander, as well as anyone, knows that none of this matters now. He needs to step up and pitch well tonight to put his team in the best position to not only win game one but to win the World Series.
Phillies Playing With House Money
The Phillies finished third in their division and were the last team to secure their Wild Card spot, yet here they are, four wins away from being world champions. This team faced a ton of adversity.
They fired their coach mid-season, dealt with injuries to key players, and had one of the worse bullpens in baseball. Nevertheless, they made it to the postseason, won 9 of 11 games, and are now four more wins away from a title.
Aaron Nola will open up the series for the Phillies tonight in Houston. This will be his fourth start of the 2022 postseason. His first two starts were fantastic – he allowed just one run on nine hits in 12.2 innings while striking out 12. However, his last start, on the road in San Diego, was not great.
He allowed six runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings of work in one of the two Phillies losses this entire postseason. During the regular season, Nola has been better on the road than he has been at home. He had a 3.00 ERA, a .227 batting average against, a .326 slugging percentage against, a .96 WHIP, and a 2.10 FIP.
Houston Astros vs Philadelphia Phillies Prediction
I’m riding with the Phillies to win the World Series, and while I do think this team could bounceback even if they lost tonight, I think they get the job done.
Verlander has World Series demons and this is not the lineup you want to face when dealing with those issues. This Phillies team has a certain aura around them that is hard to quantify, but it certainly is real.
Of course, Houston is amazing, and there is no doubt that they have the overall better team, but if the Phillies can get to Verlander early and avoid facing the Astros’ bullpen down a run or two, they can win this game.
Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies Moneyline +150
Interested in placing a bet on the Houston Astros vs Philadelphia Phillies World Series Game 1 matchup? Caesars Sports is offering up to a $1,500 risk-free bet for first-time deposits in New Jersey, West Virginia, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, New York and Louisiana.
**************************************************
Meet the Author
Eric Pauly, @slimeaction on Twitter, graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Finance. Eric is a die-hard Washington Commanders and New York Knicks fan and enjoys watching and writing about the NFL, NBA and MLB. His favorite gambling movements include hitting a +1000 future on Washington to win the NFC East in 2020 and predicting Jonathan Taylor’s breakout season with a +900 ticket for him to win the 2021 NFL rushing title. Aside from the sports betting industry, Eric also enjoys good eats, dynasty fantasy football leagues, daily fantasy sports and playing the guitar.
Looking for more free sports picks and sports betting tips?
- Latest Betting Odds and Public Action: Vegas lines updated in real time, including who the public is betting on.
- Last Minute Handicapping Advice: Check out our extensive library of handicapping tips and advice from professional Vegas handicappers (we also recommend taking the time to look over our sports betting tips video library)
- Want an expert opinion? Check out the latest Free Sports Picks and Best Bets from our team of expert sports handicappers.
Make sure to bookmark all the above!