Cole, Astros Heavy -290 Favorites Over Snell, Rays in ALDS Game 2 – Picks & Odds
- Blake Snell and the Rays look to even the ALDS at 1-1 in vs Gerrit Cole and the Astros on Saturday (Oct. 5)
- Houston has won 13 straight Cole starts
- Get the odds, game preview, and prediction for Game 2 of the American League Division Series,below
The Houston Astros won Game 1 of the American League Division Series behind a stellar start from Justin Verlander. Now they’ll put their second ace on the mound as Gerrit Cole will look to shutdown the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 2 on Saturday. The Rays vs Astros Game 2 odds position Houston, onces again, as a massive favorite. What’s the best bet in this game?
Rays vs Astros Game 2 Odds
| Team | Runline | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rays | +1.5 (+130) | +260 | Over 7.5 (-103) |
| Houston Astros | -1.5 (-150) | -290 | Under 7.5 (-117) |
*Odds taken 10/04/19
Verlander Leads Astros in Game 1
Game 1 of the ALDS was all Houston as the Astros were in clear control of the game, even though it was tied at zero until the 5th. The Rays could get nothing going off of Verlander, who finished the night giving up just one hit and no runs in seven innings of work. Rays starter Tyler Glasnow was constantly in trouble as he gave up four hits, three walks and two runs in just 4.1 innings.
The Rays were undone by defense a little bit, as a simple flyball dropped in between three players in right field allowing two runs to score in the bottom of the fifth inning. Even so, the Astros were all over Tampa pitching, producing nine hits and five walks in just eight innings.
How Healthy is Snell?
The Rays have good starters but the question of health and stamina is a concern. Just as Glasnow was out for most of the year and had barely worked in September, the same concerns go for former Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.
Snell did not pitch from July 21st through to September 17th. He made three appearances in September, throwing no more than 62 pitches and lasting no more than 2.1 innings.
With Glasnow, he at least had good numbers in September (1.46 ERA). Snell has struggled in his return, posting a 4.50 ERA along with a lofty 1.67 WHIP since he’s been back. The challenge here is the Rays need him to go deep as the bullpen pitched 3.2 innings on Friday and another 4.0 in the Wild Card game on Wednesday. They could get strung out if he doesn’t have a good outing.
Cole on Fire Right Now
Not only do the Rays have some concerns with their starter, they have to go up against arguably the league’s best. Cole, who actually favored over Verlander for the AL Cy Young Award, has been pitching out of his mind. The Astros have won 13 straight times he’s started and Cole has won 16 straight decisions.
He’s been nearly untouchable at home, with a sparkling 0.79 WHIP, holding opposing batters to a .175 batting average. The Astros give him great support too. As mentioned, the Astros have won 13 straight times that Cole has started and they’ve outscored opponents 107-29 in those games.
What’s the Best Bet?
We’re looking at another huge number here on the moneyline, and that’s not a surprise. It’s fairly tough to find a good reason to bet the Rays. Snell is a former Cy Young Award winner but he’s not in great shape right now. Could he pull something out and really surprise? It’s possible but unlikely.
The other factor is that, even if Snell does somehow put forth his best start of the season, it doesn’t guarantee a win because he’s up against Cole, who has been lights out. The Astros still have the better lineup and are at home too.
The Rays’ chances in this game are quite minimal but as with Game 1, I don’t want to lay this type of juice. Instead, I’ll recommend the Astros on the runline once again.
For over 15 years, Dave has been working in mainstream media and sports betting. He hosted a station on Sirius Satellite Radio for four years, and is currently a senior writer for AskMen. He's interviewed hundreds of hundreds of high-profile sports stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather.
