The American League Championship series gets underway on Friday as the last two AL teams to win a World Series will battle for an opportunity to win another. Boston took care of the AL’s No. 1 seed Tampa Bay in four games to advance. Houston advanced to the ALCS for the fifth consecutive season by defeating Chicago in what was expected to be a much closer series.
Now, the Astros and Red Sox will battle for the right to represent the AL in the World Series. Here are your 2021 MLB ALCS series odds, picks, and preview.
Boston Red Sox ALCS Betting Preview
Odds to Win ALCS: +170
The Red Sox are the underdog to win this series listed at +170 to advance. It’s an accurate assessment when one considers that Boston earned a wild card, Houston won its division with the second-best record in the AL, and the Astros took the season series 5-2.
The Red Sox are one of the top scoring teams in the majors averaging 5.16 runs per game through the regular season. They are led by Xander Bogaerts (.295, 23 HR, 79 RBI) and Rafael Devers (.279, 38 HR, 113 RBI), two All-Stars who possess elite power.
In their opening series, it was Enrique Hernandez who hit .435 with two homers and six RBI to lead the Red Sox past the Rays three games to one.
Boston will likely start Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Sale in Games 1 and 2 though the order has yet to be determined. Eduardo Rodriguez, who started Games 1 and 4 against Tampa Bay would likely be held for Game 3 and Nick Pivetta would get Game 4. Pivetta pitched in relief against the Rays and struck out 11 hitters in 8.2 innings.
Houston Astros ALCS Betting Preview
Odds to Win ALCS: -200
The Astros are the favorite to win the series after losing in seven games last year to Tampa Bay. Houston is more dangerous on the offensive side finishing first in the majors with 5.39 runs per game during the regular season. In the seven games against Boston this season, Houston outscored the Red Sox 42-25.
Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Michael Brantley, and Alex Bregman all hit .313 or better in the series against the White Sox. Kyle Tucker hit .294 and had two homers and seven RBI. What the Astros do better than anyone is not strike out. Houston hitters only struck out 19.5 percent of the time this season.
Houston will have to adjust its pitching rotation as Lance McCullers Jr. pitched the clinching Game 4 against Chicago. It’s highly likely that the earliest McCullers would pitch again is Game 3. That means Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia are the probable Game 1 and 2 starters.
The acquisitions of Kendall Graveman and Yimi Garcia at the trade deadline this year shored up the Astros bullpen. Houston also will rely on Zack Greinke at some point.
2021 MLB ALCS Series Prediction
There is an interesting trend involving Houston that really has nothing to do with baseball. In their five- year ALCS run, the Astros have won the series in odd-numbered years. They have also won the two times they held home-field advantage. In even-numbered years, Houston lost the ALCS. In both of those years, they did not have home-field advantage.
In the odd-numbered 2021 with home-field advantage, the Houston Astros win the ALCS.
PREDICTION: HOUSTON -200
Make sure you read our MLB props betting guides, so you can wager on MLB strikeouts props, MLB home run props and MLB hitting props during the American League Championship Series (ALCS).
