Indians vs. Astros Prediction
Two of the American League’s best pitchers will duel today in Game 1 of the ALDS as the Cleveland Indians play at the Houston Astros. Will Corey Kluber or Justin Verlander get the better end of the pitching matchup?
Game Snapshot
907 Cleveland Indians at 908 Houston Astros
Friday, October 5, 2018
Minute Maid Park at 2:05PM ET
TV: TBS
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Public Betting Information
According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, the Astros are a -147 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Indians are a +137 underdog, while the total is set at 6.5 runs. As of Friday morning, 63 percent of public bets are being placed on host Houston. Check out our MLB Public Betting Page for the latest info.
Ramirez leads strong offense
Cleveland infielder Jose Ramirez posted a 7.4 OWAR during the regular season as one of the best hitters in baseball. He batted .272 with a .944 OPS, hitting 39 home runs with an additional 39 doubles and four triples. Ramirez scored 110 runs and drove in 106. Shortstop Francisco Lindor has been a major producer from the leadoff spot with a 6.3 OWAR, posting an .871 OPS with 38 home runs and 92 RBIs. He scored 129 runs. Outfielder Michael Brantley had a 3.8 OWAR during the regular season with 55 extra-base hits and 76 RBIs, scoring 89 runs. Kluber enters today’s game with a 20-7 record, 2.89 ERA and 0.99 WHIP over 215 innings. He recorded 222 strikeouts.
Bregman paces Astros
Alex Bregman entered MLB in 2016 full of hype and has gotten better each season, jumping to elite value this year. He posted a 7.5 OWAR during the regular season with an OPS of .926, recording 51 doubles and 31 home runs plus a triple. Bregman drove in 103 runs and scored 105. He’s joined in leading the Houston offense by Jose Altuve, who recorded a 5.0 OWAR during the regular season. Altuve hit .315 with an .834 OPS, socking 13 home runs to go with 29 doubles and two triples. He had 61 RBIs while scoring 84 times in 137 games played. George Springer notched a 3.4 OWAR in 140 games played with a .780 OPS from the leadoff spot. Springer hit 22 home runs plus 26 doubles, driving in 71 and scoring 102 runs. Verlander comes in with a 16-9 record, 2.52 ERA and 0.90 WHIP. He did give up a lot of home runs after the All-Star Break and overall has allowed 28 long balls over 214 innings.
MLB Betting Trends
Cleveland
The Indians are 2-6 in their last eight playoff games. The under is 13-5-1 in the last 19 Cleveland playoff games.
Houston
The under is 7-0-1 in the last eight Astros games. Houston is 21-6 in its last 27 games overall.
Prediction:
This game should move fast with two dominant pitchers on the hill and if Kluber can navigate through seven innings, I like the Cleveland bullpen to keep it rolling. A couple big hits from the likes of Lindor and Ramirez could easily tilt what should be a low-scoring affair. Take a shot on Cleveland as the dog.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: CLEVELAND INDIANS +137