The Houston Astros are playing for their season. After a predictably tough outing vs. super ace Tarik Skubal in the series opener, the Astros are left with no margin for error against the pesky Detroit Tigers.
My Tigers vs. Astros predictions see Houston pushing the series to Game 3, riding Hunter Brown and one of the best playoff performers of all time.
Here are my best MLB picks for this do-or-die clash on Wednesday, October 2.
Tigers vs Astros prediction
Who will win Tigers vs Astros Game 2?
The Houston Astros are in a great spot to rebound in Game 2. Unlike in the opener, they have a very clear pitching advantage with Hunter Brown set to take the mound against an assortment of Detroit Tigers arms.
Factor in the team’s unmatched playoff pedigree and home-field advantage — the Astros won 57% of their home games this season despite missing key players all year — and the stars are aligning for Houston to force a Game 3.
My Tigers vs Astros best bet
Jose Altuve Over 1.5 H+R+RBI (-130 at DraftKings)
Best odds available in your region
My analysis
Jose Altuve is a playoff force. He simply doesn’t seem affected by the high-stakes moments or the accompanying pressure.
He has proven that time and again throughout his career, seemingly always coming up with clutch hits and big performances when the Astros need it most. He has recorded at least two H+R+RBI in 15 of his past 20 playoff games dating back to 2022. That’s an absurd 75% clip.
The Tigers are going to throw an assortment of arms against him this afternoon but it only takes one pitcher making the slightest mistake for Altuve to take advantage.
When a team takes a by-committee approach, they need all hands on deck (literally) to be at their best for it to work. Asking two pitchers to have their best stuff is a lot different than needing four, five, or even six arms to be on their game.
I think Altuve is going to find a way to exploit one of the arms he faces along the way. He might well do so early — he owns a .373 average vs. lefties and projected opener Tyler Holton fits that bill.
It’s also worth noting that Altuve has played his best baseball on home soil. He has averaged 2.7 H+R+RBI over the past 20 games in Houston.
Tigers vs Astros same-game parlay (SGP)
Jose Altuve Over 1.5 H+R+RBI
Hunter Brown Under 1.5 earned runs
Astros moneyline
Brown absolutely feasted on the Tigers this season. He made two starts, allowing just one earned run over 12 innings of work while striking out 16 batters and walking zero.
After a miserable start to the campaign, Brown quickly found his footing and was one of the best pitchers in the league over the past few months. He has gone below this number in six of the past nine games and I like him to carry his momentum forward in Game 2.
This play has multiple paths to victory. Brown could simply shine against a team he enjoyed success against on multiple occasions. He can also struggle with control, allow an uneasy amount of traffic, and get pulled earlier than usual with this being a do-or-die contest. The Astros won’t be waiting around to see if he can sort himself out.
The Astros moneyline is a natural correlation play with the first two legs. If leadoff man Altuve makes noise at the plate, and the starting pitcher holds Detroit’s offense to one run or less (that’s a win even if he only pitches, say, four innings), the Astros have a great chance of securing a win.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Tigers vs Astros odds
Tigers vs Astros live odds
Tigers vs Astros opening odds
- Moneyline: Detroit +135 | Houston -160
- Run line: Detroit +1.5 (-155) | Houston -1.5 (+130)
- Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-120) | Under 7.5 (+100)
Tigers vs Astros moneyline and Over/Under analysis
- The Astros opened as healthy favorites and the market has moved even more in their favor. Pinnacle has moved 10 cents to -171 while bet365’s opening line of -160 soared to -180.
- The total has dropped half a run, now sitting at 7.5 with a -110 price attached to the Under.
- The Astros have won six of their past nine games against the Tigers.
- Three of the last four head-to-head meetings featured five runs or fewer.
Tigers vs Astros trend
Jose Altuve has cleared 1.5 H+R+R in 12 of his last 16 games against the Tigers. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Astros.
Tigers vs Astros Game 2 info
| Location: | Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX |
| Date: | Wednesday, 10-2-2024 |
| First pitch: | 2:32 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ABC |
| Tigers starting pitcher: | Tyler Holton (7-2, 2.19 ERA) |
| Astros starting pitcher: | Hunter Brown (11-9, 3.49 ERA) |
Tigers vs Astros latest injuries
Tigers vs Astros weather
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