3 Best Prop Bets for Yankees vs. Astros in ALCS Game 1 (Justin Verlander Should Handle New York)

The New York Yankees and Houston Astros renew their playoff rivalry on Wednesday, as they face off in the ALCS for the third time in six seasons. 

New York is coming off a Game 5 win in the ALDS on Tuesday, but will the quick turnaround hurt the Yankees in Game 1? 

I think it might, and there are three prop bets I am looking to take advantage of in this game: 

Best MLB Prop Bets for Yankees vs. Astros

• Jameson Taillon UNDER 3.5 Strikeouts
• Justin Verlander to Record a Win
• Yankees Team Total UNDER 6.5 Hits

Jameson Taillon UNDER 3.5 Strikeouts 

Jameson Taillon isn’t a strikeout pitcher, registering 151 punch outs in 177.1 innings this season and posting a strikeout percentage in the 35th percentile.

Now, he faces a Houston team that averaged just 7.36 K’s per game this season, good for second best in MLB. Taillon allowed 10 hits and six earned runs to this Astros team in his regular season start against them, so there’s a chance he gets chased relatively early in Game 1. 

I’ll fade him at plus money to pick up fewer than four punch outs. 

Justin Verlander to Record a Win

Want a way to back the Astros to win at plus money? 

Well, you can take Justin Verlander to pick up a win on Wednesday night, and trust Houston’s league best bullpen to hold a lead once he leaves. 

Obviously, Houston’s offense will have to get things going early, potentially against Taillon, but I like the Astros chances of doing so. Houston won 20 of Verlander’s 28 starts in the regular season, and he received the win in 18 of those 20 wins. 

It’s worth a shot at plus money with Houston such a big favorite at home in this game. 

Yankees Team Total UNDER 6.5 Hits 

The Yankees failed to clear 6.5 hits in any of their five games against the Cleveland Guardians, and now they have to face a Cy Young-caliber starter in Verlander in Game 1. 

The Astros had the No. 2 team ERA in the regular season in the 2022 campaign, and they have an elite bullpen (first in ERA). 

New York’s offense has been mainly predicated on timely home runs, so don’t expect the Yankees to randomly string together several hits against the Astros’ best pitcher.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.