Walk-Off Wagers: MLB Best Bets Today (Astros Bounce Back, Mets-Brewers Go Over)

Breaking down the best bets to place for the four games in the MLB Wild Card round on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
Sep 17, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown (58) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images
Sep 17, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown (58) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images / Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

Playoff baseball has already delivered some big thrills! The Detroit Tigers, New York Mets and Kansas City Royals all pulled off upsets and will be looking to finish their respective series off early today. 

Tuesday’s losers must win today to force a Game 3 and keep their postseason hopes alive. 

Let’s get in on the action. All odds according to DraftKings. 

MLB Best Bets Today for Wednesday, Oct. 2

  • Astros -1.5 (+120)
  • Astros Team Total over 2.5 First 5 innings (+120)
  • Mets/Brewers over 7.5 (-115)

Astros -1.5 (+120) and Astros Team Total over 2.5 First 5 innings (+120)

I’m going to back Houston to come out swinging and cover the run line today vs. the Tigers.  This is a must-win game for Houston, and there’s no value in a -170 ML pick,

Yesterday the Tigers got a strong start from the likely AL Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal,  but they will  be running out a bullpen day today behind lefty Tyler Holton. Tigers relievers have an ERA of 7.35 vs. the Astros this season. 

The Astros just missed a comeback win vs. the Tigers bullpen in the bottom of the ninth by a matter of inches on Monday. 

Hunter Brown gets the ball at home for Houston. Brown has been one of the best pitchers in MLB since the All-Star Break with just a 2.26 ERA while striking out more than nine batters per nine innings.  

This Astros team has a combined player postseason experience of 581 games. Tigers players have 12.

Let’s root for a Game 3. 

Mets/Brewers over 7.5 runs (-115)

I won’t be fading the Mets anymore. Instead, I’ll just root for them to keep on hitting. 

The Brewers will start Frankie Montas today for the second game of the series, Montas has an ERA of 5.43 since the All-Star Break and an ERA of 4.50 vs. the Mets this year. 

The Mets just put up eight runs on the Brewers on Tuesday afternoon, exceeding this total all on their own. 

The Mets will start Sean Manaea. Manaea has a 3.47 ERA this season, but he has a 12.27 ERA vs. the Brewers in 2024.  In his single game vs. New York -- which was just last week on September 27 -- he allowed opposing hitters a .368 batting average with seven hits and five earned runs across just 4 ⅔ innings pitched. 

 Mets relievers have an ERA of 4.99 across the past two weeks of play.

All of this is enough to have me rooting for the over on Wednesday. 


Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Jennifer Piacenti
JENNIFER PIACENTI

Jennifer Piacenti is a fantasy sports and betting analyst for Sports Illustrated. She serves as a host for Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio and has her own podcast, “Waiver Wired,” on the Extra Points podcast network. Piacenti is also a featured expert on MLB Network’s “Bettor’s Eye” and is a member of the esteemed Tout Wars, the fantasy baseball battle of the experts. She is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and is a 2020 Scott Fish Bowl finalist.