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The Atlanta Braves host their first World Series game since 1999 on Friday evening. The Braves welcome the Houston Astros to Truist Park for Game 3 of the 2021 World Series, and the best-of-seven clash is knotted at 1-1. Atlanta struck first, picking up a Game 1 win on the road. Houston evened the score with a win in Game 2 on Wednesday, picking up momentum in the process. Atlanta is starting Ian Anderson, while Houston will send Luis Garcia to the hill in a matchup of right-handed pitchers. 

First pitch is set for 8:09 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Atlanta as a slim -111 favorite (risk $111 to win $100) on the money line in the Astros vs. Braves odds. The over-under for total runs expected is set at 8.5. There are also plenty of 2021 World Series prop bets to consider for player stats and other game occurrences. Before making any Braves vs. Astros picks or MLB predictions for the World Series 2021, you need to see what SportsLine's No. 1 MLB expert John Bollman has to say.

Bollman combines MLB front-office experience with a deep statistical background. Bollman, who has a master's degree in biostatistics, worked in the Toronto Blue Jays' analytics department in 2018, focusing on high-performance sports science and player development.

In his last 319 MLB picks, Bollman has gone 186-132-1, returning more than $5,900. Anyone who has followed his picks has seen huge returns.

Now, Bollman has set his sights on Game 3 of the Astros vs. Braves World Series matchup and just revealed his coveted MLB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his all of his World Series picks and analysis. Here are several MLB odds and World Series betting lines for Braves vs. Astros:

  • Astros vs. Braves money line: Braves -111, Astros +101
  • Astros vs. Braves over-under: 8.5 runs
  • Astros vs. Braves run line: Braves -1.5 (+175)
  • HOU: The Astros are 47-39 in 2021 road games
  • ATL: The Braves are 47-38 at home this season

Why you should back the Astros 

Houston's offense speaks for itself, but the Astros also have a strong weapon in Garcia on the mound. The 24-year-old is the starting pitcher for Game 3, and he posted a 3.30 ERA across 30 appearances and 155.1 innings during the regular season. Those metrics are highly impressive for a rookie in the American League, and Garcia generated 9.68 strikeouts and only 2.90 walks per nine innings. Garcia is particularly unkind to right-handed batters, holding them to a .548 OPS, and the Braves rely on a few key bats from that side of the plate. 

Beyond Garcia, the Astros have a solid bullpen and the best offense in baseball. Houston led MLB in runs scored, batting average and on-base percentage, and Yordan Alvarez has arguably been the best player in the 2021 MLB playoffs. He leads the postseason with 13 runs scored and 10 walks, with Alvarez also posting an absurd 1.299 OPS in 13 games.

Why you should back the Braves

Atlanta suffered a lopsided defeat in Game 2, but it may have been beneficial in some ways. The Braves were able to rest their top four relief pitchers, all of whom have been utilized heavily by manager Brian Snitker during this playoff run. With that group rested and ready, the Braves can also take solace in the playoff performance of Anderson. Anderson owns a sterling 1.47 ERA in his playoff career, dominating the competition across seven starts. 

The young right-hander has a 2.25 ERA in this postseason and, dating back to the regular season, Anderson has been effective. He posted a 3.58 ERA with nearly a strikeout per inning during the 2021 campaign, and Anderson was better at home, producing a 3.52 ERA and allowing opponents to produce only a .603 OPS at Truist Park. With the Braves also producing power at a tremendous rate in the second half of the season, Atlanta can be confident in its home park.

How to make Braves vs. Astros picks

Bollman is taking over 2.5 on total bases for Michael Brantley as one of his favorite Astros vs. Braves props. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the money line, and he's locked in several other strong 2021 World Series prop bets. You can only see his MLB picks at SportsLine.

So who wins Braves vs. Astros in Game 3 of the 2021 World Series? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the money line a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of Braves vs. Astros you need to jump on Friday, all from the expert that has crushed his MLB picks, and find out.