Why are the Red Sox Favoured vs. the Astros? (We can't figure it out, either)
As underdogs today the Astros are the perfect storm of taking advantage of market misperceptions and public emotions. Houston is clearly an outstanding value at plus-money in their game at Boston
The Daily Sweat: Astros are the hottest team in baseball, yet underdogs at Boston? Huh?
The Houston Astros had a tough start to the season. After a loss on May 1, they were 11-11 and in 3rd place.
Ever since then, the Astros have been baseball's hottest team.
An 8-0 win on Sunday gave the Astros 12 wins in their last 13 games. The Astros have been feasting on some poor teams, but any 12-1 stretch is pretty impressive.
Oddsmakers aren't sold on Houston despite them being one of the AL's best teams. Inexplicably, the Astros are underdogs at the Boston Red Sox on Monday. They're 2.10 at SPREADS.CA
Often in baseball betting, a line will swing on a pitching matchup. Red Sox starter Garrett Whitlock has been good, with a 2.19 ERA, but it's not like he's in the elite class of starters. The Astros have steady Jake Odorizzi on the mound. This line seems to be an indication that the Astros aren't yet getting a ton of respect in the betting market.
Pitching (and a schedule that included the Nationals, Twins, Tigers and Mariners) has been behind the Astros' resurgence. The Astros have allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of their last 13 games. That has allowed Houston to creep up to third in MLB in team ERA, behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. The rotation is solid and the bullpen is deep.
The Astros remain an unpopular team due to that cheating scandal we'll remember forever, but they're also one of the most reliable franchises in the game. Houston looked like they might be in for an off year about a month into the season, but that turned around in a big way. And it looks like bettors can still find some value on the Astros, if you believe in their hot streak.
Note: Parts of this article appeared on Yahoo Sports.
