Justin Verlander, Astros Are Biggest Favorites Since 2005 Wednesday vs. Tigers
Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Editor's note: The Tigers pulled off the upset on Wednesday night, winning 2-1 as a +450 underdog. It's the biggest MLB upset since at least 2005, according to our Bet Labs data.
Betting Odds: Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros
- Tigers moneyline: +450
- Astros moneyline: -520
- Over/Under: 8.5
- First pitch: 8:10 p.m. ET
>> All odds as of Wednesday evening. Download The Action Network App to get real-time MLB odds and track your bets
The Tigers fell to 37-86 (.301) after dropping Games 1 and 2 of their series against the Astros in Houston.
If the season ended today, Detroit's .301 win percentage would be its second-lowest in franchise history, only behind the .265 (43-119) win-rate it posted in 2003.
On Wednesday, the Tigers have the pleasure of facing Justin Verlander and the Astros in Houston. Daniel Norris will toe the rubber for Detroit, setting up a mismatch of epic proportions.
In fact, oddsmakers have installed Verlander and the Astros as a -520 favorite, which would be the largest moneyline since 2005.
There have only been two instances in that span that a team has closed above -450, with Verlander doing so twice in his last three starts including Wednesday's outing.
Wednesday's Tigers-Astros game would mark the 10th time an MLB game closed with a moneyline of -400 or higher since 2005. Verlander has started in three of those 10 games — more than any other pitcher.
Three of the top six highest moneyline prices since 2005 have come in 2019, with three coming this month!
Just 10 days ago, the Astros and Verlander were -462 favorites on the road against the Orioles, the largest price for a team away from home by a whopping 97 cents.
The nine previous favorites on this list are just 6-3 on the moneyline and have won by less than a run per game. In fact, two of the last three games in this spot have gone to the underdog and overall these pooches have only lost by a combined seven runs.
The Astros have been the class of baseball this summer and will enter Wednesday's game as the betting favorite for the 41st consecutive time. The last time the 'Stros were underdogs was on July 2 in Colorado.
When looking at just how impressive the Astros moneyline is tonight, take a look at this…
The @astros are -500 favorites vs. the Tigers.
Houston is the largest favorite since 2005 according to @Bet_Labs.
Trends for favorites of -400 or greater since 2005:
Moneyline: 7-3, -1.35 units.
Run line: 5-5, -2.81 units
Under: 7-3— John Ewing (@johnewing) August 21, 2019
Behind Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and now Zack Greinke, I do not expect Wednesday night's game against the Tigers to be the last time Houston makes this list in 2019.
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