I’m here to tell you that the Houston Astros are frauds, and that there’s a bet to be made for tonight’s game at +340 odds that you won’t want to miss out on.
Don’t get me wrong, this team has plenty of talent and they’ll likely find a way to be right in the mix of things at the end of the season, even after losing Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Gerritt Cole over the last couple years. But if you’re banking on this team to put up a lot of runs, the early returns might be misleading.
Houston ranks 23rd across the league in total runs scored so far to start this season, but even ranking ninth from the bottom is higher than they should be. The Astros jumped out of the gate with a 13-run game in their first meeting of the season. Since then, they have scored two or fewer runs in seven out of 10 games.
Tonight, the Astros have a reunion with George Springer and his new squad, the Toronto Blue Jays. Though the first few weeks of the season, the Blue Jays rank eighth in OPS, 11th in on base percentage, and are tied for first in total home runs hit. They’re 16th in runs scored, but the metrics around those runs indicate that the scoring will come in bunches soon enough. They also have an MVP front-runner in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who is capable of taking over any game, like he did in his three-home run outing against the Yankees.
The Blue Jays are doing all of this with a slow start from Bo Bichette, who is currently slashing .224/.224/.310, and has yet to take a walk this season while striking out 14 times. That won’t hold. He’ll turn it on soon enough, which will make the top of this lineup that much more explosive.
Bo Bichette breaks his bat in frustration after flying out. Getty ImagesFind out more about New York sports betting
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Yes, Justin Verlander is on the bump for Houston, and he’s had a solid start, but his two starts this season have come against the Los Angeles Angels and the Seattle Mariners. The Angels bats have been lively to start the 2022 season, but Seattle is still figuring a lot of things out. He hasn’t pitched against a lineup remotely as potent as the Blue Jays can be.
So, what’s the bet I hinted at earlier? On DraftKings, you can take the Blue Jays alternate spread of -1.5 at +230 odds. Give me the alternate spread for an offense as loaded as any in the majors at plus money, please and thank you.
