The top two teams in the American League face off when the New York Yankees meet the Houston Astros at 1:10 p.m. ET on Thursday. Houston is listed as a -125 favorite (risk $125 to win $100) in the latest odds, while the Over-Under is set at 8 (see up-to-date'odds for every game this week on our MLB odds page). Before making any Yankees vs. Astros picks, you NEED to check out the MLB predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times, and it is 280-240 on top-r ated MLB money-line picks since the start of the 2021 season, returning over $500 for $100 players. This is the same model that pegged the 2021 Atlanta Braves at 10-1 as one of three best bets to win it all last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.
The model knows the Yankees have the best record in the American League and the best offensive profile of any AL team. New York leads the AL with 497 runs scored, and the Yankees also lead the way with 157 home runs. The Yankees are No. 1 in the league in walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS, with top-tier marks in stolen bases and total bases. New York also has a tremendous pitching staff, headlined by the AL's best bullpen in wins above replacement and ground ball rate.
The model also knows the Astros have a lights-out bullpen. Houston's relief corps has an AL-best 2.66 ERA, and Astros relievers boast a strikeout rate of 9.79 per nine innings. On offense, the Astros ar e potent with 128 home runs, No. 2 in the AL, and top-three marks in walks and strikeout avoidance. Houston is also in the top five of the league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage with a deep and balanced group.