A season-opening series between top World Series contenders is taking place on Saturday as the Houston Astros (1-1) take on the New York Mets (1-1) in a decisive rubber match. The Astros won the first game 3-1, while the Mets responded with a 3-1 victory of their own, featuring new acquisition Juan Soto’s first home run in a Mets uniform.
First pitch is at 7:15 p.m. ET at Daikin Park in Houston. The latest odds from DraftKings Sportsbook list Houston as the -122 favorite (risk $122 to win $100), with an over/under of 8.5 total runs. Before making any bets on the Astros vs. Mets, check out the predictions from SportsLine’s proven model.
Best Bets
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Mets to win (+102) The money line is nearly even for the opening matchups, making it the first opportunity for a plus-money return on a New York victory. The Mets have a strong chance to score against Spencer Arrighetti, who struggled last season with a 4.53 ERA. The model expects the Mets to capitalize on his lack of control.
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Over 8.5 total runs (-120) Neither Canning nor Arrighetti showcased strong statistics last season. The model rates the top hitters for New York—Soto, Lindor, Alonso, Nimmo, and Vientos—each with over a 60% chance to record an RBI. The total dropped from 9 and the model estimates 9.9 combined runs based on player performances.
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Griffin Canning Over 3.5 strikeouts (-131) Canning recorded back-to-back seasons of 130 strikeouts, and the model projects . His historical performance indicates strong potential for exceeding 3.5 strikeouts against an Astros lineup that has struck out 17 times in their first two games.
For more MLB picks, see the model that enters the season on a 32-17 run on top-rated MLB run-line bets.
