The Houston Astros (10-10) meet the Atlanta Braves (14-6) Saturday for the middle contest of a 3-game weekend set at Truist Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Astros vs. Braves odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Houston leads 1-0
The Astros won Friday’s series opener 6-4. Atlanta scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning and then did not dent the plate again. Houston is now 4-1 over its last 5 road games.
The Braves won 8 in a row from April 10-18, but they have now lost 2 straight. The Atlanta bullpen toted a 2.71 ERA into this series but was undone in allowing 5 runs Friday.
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Astros at Braves projected starters
LHP Framber Valdez vs. RHP Kyle Wright
Valdez (1-2, 1.80 ERA) is tabbed for his 5th start. He has clocked a 1.16 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9 and 9.0 K/9 through 25 IP.
- Allowed 5 runs, but just 1 earned, in his last start vs. the Texas Rangers Sunday
- Has posted a tidy 2.51 ERA on the road over the last 3 seasons (2021-23)
Wright (0-0, 6.23 ERA) makes his 3rd start. He has a 1.73 WHIP, 7.3 BB/9 and 9.3 K/9 through 8 2/3 IP.
- Has been hurt by a .320 batting average on balls in play
- Came off the 15-day IL (shoulder) to make his season debut April 11
- Owns a 4.20 ERA across 259 career IP
Astros at Braves odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:58 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Astros -112 (bet $112 to win $100) | Braves -104 (bet $104 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Astros -1.5 (+140) | Braves +1.5 (-170)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: +100 | U: -122)
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Astros at Braves picks and predictions
Prediction
Astros 5, Braves 3
Moneyline
A slight lean toward Houston here. Atlanta is playing good ball but has played an easy slate thus far. Its pitching is due for a regression slide.
Run-line-verse bettors may want to consider a partial-unit play on the ASTROS (-112).
Run line/Against the spread
Valdez on the road is intriguing in this spot. He has lock-down numbers against current Atlanta batters (.539 OPS allowed). In his last start, the Houston port-sider may have bounced a bit after 100-plus pitches in his previous 2 efforts. Valdez has a history of being a fast starter (.607 OPS allowed in March/April starts).
Wright brings some question marks in after the spring shoulder issue, and the Astros bullpen is in slightly better shape for this game.
In its 4-1 road mark of late, the Astros have won all 4 games by multi-run margins. This is a moderate lean but consider a partial-unit play on HOUSTON -1.5 (+140).
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Over/Under
The Under was a solid — but losing — play in Friday’s meeting. The pitchers change up the equation for game 2. The offenses lean Under, but the pitching fights back (not that the starters are bad, just likely overrated by their surface numbers). The caught-in-the-middle play is a PASS.
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