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Wednesday could be Houston’s final home game of the 2021 baseball season as the Astros host the Atlanta Braves in Game 2 of the World Series before it shifts to Atlanta. The Astros are short favorites on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Braves at Astros MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Wednesday, 8:09 PM ET
Where: Minute Maid Park
Probable pitchers (away/home): Max Fried/Jose Urquidy
TV: Fox
Stream/gameday audio: Fox Sports Go
Opening MLB Lines: TBA (posted after Game 1 results)

Why Bet on Atlanta?

The Braves became the fourth team since 2001 to reach the World Series and go under on their regular season win total bet: 2018 – LA Dodgers (lost WS); 2012 – Detroit (lost WS); 2006 – St Louis (won WS). Atlanta won just 88 games.

Pitcher Kyle Wright was added to the Braves’ roster for the World Series. He replaced Jacob Webb in order to give the Braves some length in a seven-game series. Wright made just two appearances at the MLB level in 2021 allowing seven hits and seven runs in 6 1/3 innings. He spent the rest of the time at Triple-A and finished the season strong allowing 26 hits and 10 earned runs over his final six starts which totaled 39 innings. The loss of Huascar Ynoa to injury in the NLCS opened the door for Wright, who will likely serve as a multi-inning relief option.

Speedster Terrance Gore is on the roster as a potential pinch-runner while Johan Camargo has been bumped off. Gore was on the team’s roster for the NLDS against the Brewers but was dropped during the NLCS in favor of Camargo, who went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in the NLCS. The Braves are going with 12 pitchers and 14 position players for the series.

It will be ace lefty Max Fried on the mound. Fried allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings in a Game 5 loss in the NLCS to the Dodgers. Fried eight hits and a pair of walks, and he struck out three. He was staked a 2-0 lead in the first, but he gave up two homers in the second: a solo shot to AJ Pollock and a two-run shot to Chris Taylor. It was Fried’s worst start since the beginning of September. Fried had been 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his first two playoff starts this year.

In the regular season, he went 14-7 with a 3.04 ERA (56 ER/165.2 IP) in 28 games, all starts. He ranked among NL leaders in these categories: Shutouts (T1st, 2), Complete Games (T4th, 2), Wins (T5th, 14), ERA (9th, 3.04), Winning Percentage (T9th, .667).

Fried allowed 23 hits and 14 earned runs in just 11. 0 innings over his first three starts of the season, going 0-1 He was placed on IR with a right hamstring strain on April 14 and missed the next 18 games. Following his return, Fried went 14-6 and pitched to a 2.44 ERA. From May 5 through the end of the season, Fried’s 2.44 ERA was third best in the majors.

Why Bet on Houston?

Astros Manager Dusty Baker is now the ninth manager in MLB history to win the pennant in both leagues (also the 2002 Giants). At 72 years old, he’s also the second-oldest manager to win a pennant in MLB history.

The Astros didn’t include former starting outfielder Jake Meyers on the World Series. Meyers was on the Astros’ roster for the ALCS, but his shoulder just hasn’t improved to the point where he’ll be able to contribute in a meaningful way. Meyers hurt his left shoulder crashing into the wall in Game 4 of the ALDS against the White Sox and it was thought that Meyers would be available to play by now.

Marwin Gonzalez has replaced him on the roster after not playing the first two rounds. Gonzalez, who had a huge home run in Game 2 of the 2017 World Series, likely will be used solely as a pinch-hitter. The Astros signed Gonzalez in August after he was released by the Red Sox. He played in 14 games for the Astros, hitting .176 (6-for-36). The Astros are carrying the same 13-man pitching staff they had during the ALCS.

It will be right-hander Jose Urquidy on the mound. Urquidy lasted just 1 2/3 innings and gave up six runs — five earned — to take a loss in Game 3 of the ALCS vs. Boston. He might have gotten out of the second with only one-run scoring, but Jose Altuve couldn’t handle a high hop on a grounder up the middle and got no outs on what looked like a double-play opportunity. Urquidy then gave up a grand slam to the next batter he faced, Kyle Schwarber.

Urquidy’s biggest-ever playoff moment came in Game 4 of the 2019 World Series at Washington, a start in which he tossed 5.0 scoreless innings as a rookie. In this regular season, he was 8-3 with a 3.62 ERA. Known as a strike-thrower, he ranked 3rd in the AL in walks per 9.0 (1.60) and 6th in strikeouts to walk ratio (4.74) this season (min. 100 IP). He was also an extreme fly ball pitcher, as he checked in with the 3rd-lowest ground ball percentage (32.3%) and the 4th-lowest ground ball to fly ball ratio (0.76) in the Majors (min. 100 IP).

It’s somewhat surprising for Houston to roll with Urquidy ahead of Zack Greinke for Game 2.