After an improbable run to make the playoffs, the Detroit Tigers have the AL stalwart Houston Astros on the brink of elimination.
The pregame narrative: Tarik Skubal did his job yesterday and now Detroit turns to its bullpen opposite Houston starter Hunter Brown. I expect a pair of Astros sluggers to have a big game and even the series.
Check out my Tigers vs. Astros prop picks for Game 2 of their wild-card series on Oct. 2.
Tigers vs. Astros prop picks
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Best Bet: Altuve to score (+110)
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch described his post-Skubal strategy as “pitching chaos.”
That starts today with lefty opener Tyler Holton (2.29 ERA, 0.78 WHIP). Who’s up next? Your guess is as good as mine.
Detroit does have one of the American League’s best bullpens, ranking second in both ERA and WHIP but I still think Houston’s top-of-the-order bats can get after the group.
Altuve will be in Cooperstown when it’s all said and done but he has a lot left in the tank. The leadoff man hit .295 this season and scored 16 runs across 21 games in September.
He’s especially dangerous against lefties, owning a stellar .429 on-base percentage against LHPs this year. If Holton gets Altuve out in the first there’s no guarantee he’ll be on the mound when he comes through the order a second time.
That doesn’t dissuade me from backing him to score at plus money, though.
Behind Altuve sits the red-hot Kyle Tucker, Alvarez, and playoff performer Alex Bregman.
Many thought the Astros were dead at the beginning of the season and they came back to win the AL West. I’m not going to write them off after losing Game 1.
Key stat: Altuve has scored 89 runs in 104 career playoff games.
Quick pick
Alvarez over 1.5 bases (+125): If we’re talking about active playoff performers, Alvarez has to be near the top of your list.
The Cuban DH has a .299 career batting average in the postseason with an OPS just under 1.000. Last year, he hit .467 with a 1.487 OPS, belting nine extra-base hits in 11 games.
Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a double yesterday and has cleared this line in seven consecutive postseason games.
Ideally, he can cash both bets in the first inning with one swing of the bat. Alvarez is slashing .362/.411/.617 against lefties this year.
Picks made at 8:52 a.m. ET 10/02/2024.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.