MLB betting: Astros, White Sox meet in evenly matched ALDS

Welcome to Yahoo Sports' Division Series betting previews. Below you'll find all the odds available at BetMGM for the ALDS between the Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox along with our predicted winner.

Game 1 of the series is Thursday at 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.

Series winner odds

• Houston Astros (-125)

• Chicago White Sox (+105)

Exact outcome odds

• Astros sweep (+500)

• Astros 3-1 (+400)

• Astros 3-2 (+350)

• White Sox sweep (+700)

• White Sox 3-1 (+375)

• White Sox 3-2 (+425)

General series odds

• 3-game series (+275)

• 4-game series (+150)

• 5-game series (+145)

• 3 or 5-game series (-185)

• 4-game series (+150)

Series schedule

• Game 1: Oct. 7 at Houston

• Game 2: Oct. 8 at Houston

• Game 3: Oct. 10 at Chicago

• Game 4 (if necessary): Oct. 11 at Chicago

• Game 5 (if necessary): Oct. 13 at Houston

Houston Astros (-125)

The Astros boasted the second-best lineup in baseball in 2021 based on OPS (on-base plus slugging). Only the Blue Jays (.797) were better at getting on base and getting extra base hits than the Astros were at .783. Houston was also second to the Blue Jays in fewest strikeouts. Does striking out matter more in the postseason when teams have to sometimes scrounge for runs by putting balls in play?

Houston’s typical starting lineup goes eight-deep with only Martin Maldonado a below-average offensive player. The Astros were a Michael Brantley double away from having six starters with 30 or more doubles and four players had at least 26 homers.

The Astros’ pitching staff is also very deep with the return of Zack Greinke from the IL. Greinke seems set to pitch out of the bullpen in the series after he made an appearance on Sunday. Greinke led the team in starts and innings pitched before his IL stint, but he also posted the worst FIP of any Astros starter. Greinke gives the Astros a multi-inning guy available out of the bullpen in case of a blowout or extra innings and his availability in relief may actually bolster Houston’s rotation.

Chicago White Sox (+105)

The White Sox had a top-five lineup in baseball despite hitting a below-average number of home runs (190). The series will feature the Nos. 1 and 3 teams in OBP as the Astros got on base at a .339 clip while Chicago hitters weren’t far behind at .336.

A healthy Luis Robert is huge for Chicago after he missed much of the middle of the season due to a torn hip flexor. Robert posted a .946 OPS in 296 plate appearances this season. C Yasmani Grandal is back too after playing in just seven games in July and August. Grandal didn’t miss a beat in September with five homers in 84 at bats and a 1.007 OPS after his return from a left knee injury. Robert, Grandal and Jose Abreu are a formidable trio at the top of the White Sox lineup behind Tim Anderson.

Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn will likely start the first two games of the series while Dylan Cease seems set for Game 3. Will Carlos Rodon be able to pitch at all in the series? He’s been dealing with shoulder soreness. A healthy Rodon would allow Chicago to go with a four-man rotation against the Astros.

Series prediction

Astros in five. The Astros’ lineup is a little deeper than Chicago’s and I think that’s the edge. These are two evenly matched teams and while anything is possible in a short series, this has all the makings of at least a four-game set.