I’m going to take Oakland in the first MLB bubble game, currently listed as a $1.67 favourite.
With no home field either way this series, I think a lot of the externalities are reduced and the better team should win more often.
Oakland have proven themselves to be the better side throughout the regular season, amassing 7 more wins than Houston and a +36-run advantage.
I like the pitching matchup for them here too, with Chris Bassitt coming off one of the best seasons of his career.
While Houston still have a good batting lineup, they aren’t quite as good as they once were, and I’d expect Bassitt to enjoy some success here.
Lance McCullers will pitch for Houston here and I’ve found him to be fairly inconsistent this season.
I’d expect some of Oakland’s top hitters to get after him, which should prove the difference here.
I usually like to take chalk in the MLB playoffs, but I’m going with Tampa here as the $2.30 underdogs.
They’ve been the much better team throughout the regular season and I’m surprised to see them at this price.
They were far and away the best team in the American League throughout the regular season, going 40-20 straight up with a +60 run differential.
These marks are significantly better than what the Yankees put up, going just 33-27 with a +45 differential.
The main reason why the Yankees are such heavy favourites here has to be the fact that Gerrit Cole is starting at pitcher.
While Cole has been his usual strong self this season, Blake Snell has had a great year of his own for Tampa Bay.
I’d go as far as to say that this is a relatively even pitching matchup and Tampa have been the better hitting side.
Especially getting $2.30, I’ll take the Rays in this one.