The Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins meet at Minute Maid Park this afternoon for the first game of the ALDS. Houston will try to defend its World Series odds crown, while Minnesota seeks its first trip to the ALCS since 2002.
Minnesota took four of six games off Houston during the regular season, with each of its last two wins as the road underdog in the MLB odds. Can the visitors repeat that today? Find out in our free MLB picks and MLB playoff predictions for Twins vs. Astros on Saturday, October 7.
Twins vs Astros odds
Twins vs Astros Game 1 odds
Twins vs Astros series odds
Twins
AstrosTwins vs Astros predictions
The Twins come into the ALDS following a clean sweep of the Blue Jays in the AL Wild Card Series, winning two straight while holding Toronto to just one total run. Minnesota will hand the ball over to Bailey Ober for today’s series opener as the right-hander looks to shut down Houston.
Ober finished the regular season on a roll, holding opponents to two earned runs or fewer in each of his last four starts while allowing just one run across his last two appearances.
Meanwhile, the Astros will send three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander to the hill as he looks to get Houston started off on the right foot. September wasn’t Verlander’s best month of the season as he posted a 3.69 ERA over six starts, but he did hold opponents to just five hits and one earned run over his last two outings combined — a span of 13 innings.
Minnesota has cashed the Under in each of its last three games, while the Under has gone 4-1-1 in Houston’s last six outings. With both clubs playing low-scoring baseball and sending solid starters to the mound, I like the Under on 8 runs as my best bet today.
My best bet: Under 8 (-105 at DraftKings)
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site.
Twins vs Astros same-game parlay
Under 8.5
Tucker 1+ RBI
Correa 2+ Total Bases
Along with taking the Under on 8.5 runs, I’m looking for Kyle Tucker and Carlos Correa to lead their clubs offensively in today’s same-game parlay.
Tucker finished the season as the MLB’s third-best run producer with 112 RBI, and while he cooled off with just 15 RBI across September and October, smart money will be on the Astros slugger to get rolling again in the postseason.
Lastly, I’m taking Correa to record at least two bases for the Twins. Correa, who played seven seasons for Houston, had three hits in two games during the AL Wild Card Series while posting multiple bases in six of his last 14 regular-season contests.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Best MLB bonuses
All Users
25% profit boost on one MLB bet today! Claim Now
All Users
25% profit boost on one MLB bet today! Claim Now
All Users
30% profit boost on one MLB SGP today! Claim Now
Eligible USA locations only. Also, see our full list of best sportsbook promotions for 2023.
21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Twins vs Astros moneyline and Over/Under analysis
The Astros enter the series opener as the home favorite at -149 on the moneyline, and I think the hosts will come out with the early series lead today.
Houston owned a Top 5 offense in the MLB this season at 5.10 runs per game — one of just six clubs to average more than five runs per contest this year. You can chalk that up to an incredibly deep lineup, as the Astros boasted four players with 90 or more RBI, and six with at least 60 RBI.
Meanwhile, the Twins were led by Max Kepler (66 RBI) and Correa (65 RBI) — their only two batters who drove in more than 52 runs.
Ober was solid this season with a 3.43 ERA and a winning record, but you’ve got to give the edge to Verlander in this matchup, as he’s the reigning AL Cy Young winner and a two-time World Series champion.
The total opened at 8 runs and as discussed, I think we’ll see a low-scoring battle today. The Twins’ best chance of winning will be to keep the Astros’ bats at bay, like they did against the Blue Jays, because they obviously won’t have the offensive firepower to keep up.
Trend to know
Houston is 4-2 in its last six home games vs. Minnesota. Find more MLB betting trends for Twins vs. Astros
Kentucky: Mobile sports betting is live!
Check out the best Kentucky sportsbook promos, with a number of odds boosts and offers available!
Kentucky sports betting launched online wagering on October 28 — review our list of the best Kentucky sports betting apps for making your first online bets in the Bluegrass State!
21+ and present in KY. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Twins vs Astros game info
| Location: | Minute Maid Field, Houston, TX |
| Date: | Saturday, October 7, 2023 |
| First pitch: | 4:45 p.m. ET |
| TV: | FS1 |
Starting pitchers
Bailey Ober (8-6, 3.43 ERA): Ober was super-consistent for the Twins this season outside of August, where he posted a 5.63 ERA over five starts. The right-hander rebounded in his last four starts of the year, though, allowing just five earned runs total in those games — a span of 21 2/3 innings.
Justin Verlander (13-8, 3.22 ERA): Verlander wasn’t great in September, allowing three or more earned runs in three of his six starts, and five or more runs in two of those games. The 40-year-old hurler still managed to post a respectable 3.69 ERA for the month, though, as he pitched through the seventh inning three times over that span.
Latest injuries
Weather
Stay updated with the latest picks, odds, and news! Tap the 
to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
