ALCS and NLCS 2 Team Series Betting Parlay
MLB Picks
Four teams are remaining in the Major League Baseball postseason. The Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox are still standing in the American League. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves are the final two clubs fighting in the National League.
The championship series is seven games, so a lot can happen. The best part about this is that picking series winners provides a better payout if you pick correctly. Here are my two team ALCS and NLCS series betting parlay.
ALCS: Red Sox vs. Astros
The ALCS is intriguing because the Astros were expected to be in the series, but the projections did not have the Red Sox in the playoffs. Houston had a dominant series win over the White Sox in the ALDS, but Boston could be the hottest team in baseball at this point. The Red Sox upset the Yankees in the Wild Card game before dethroning the Tampa Bay Rays, the first seed in the American League, in the ALDS. Boston will have their hands full against the Astros, but do not count this team out in the ALCS.
The ALCS is a seven-game series, so there is more room for error. Nevertheless, the winner of game one has a huge advantage, especially if it’s the visiting team. For Boston to win the series, they need to have a strong start.
Chris Sale will pitch in game one against Framber Valdez. Sale has been phenomenal for Boston throughout his postseason career. I expect this to occur in game one, but the pitcher has been shaky down the final stretch of the season.
The Astros have one of the strongest offenses in the game, averaging 7.8 runs per game. The Red Sox bats are hot at the moment, but they will have trouble matching runs with their opponents. Nathan Eovaldi will pitch against Luis Garcia in the second contest. Boston’s pitching declines after Eovaldi, so they need to at least split in Houston for them to win the series. When the series goes back to Boston, all bets are off in the ALCS.
Fenway Park magic is in the air, and this has been apparent throughout the 2021 postseason. You cannot bet off an assumption of Fenway Park magic, but factor it into your decision. If Boston can split in the first two weeks of the season, they are set up well to finish the job in six or seven games.
Although, as a realist, it’s hard to select the Red Sox against a team with an offense like the Astros. Boston’s best offensive day will need to occur multiple times in this series, and I think their pitching will not be enough to limit Houston’s scoring.
You should bet on the Astros to win the ALCS. This team nearly game back from a 3-0 deficit in the 2020 ALCS to the Tampa Bay Rays. They are hungry to prove they can win post cheating scandal, which will be the year they return to the World Series.
NLCS: Dodgers vs. Braves
The Dodgers finally dethroned the San Francisco Giants in game five of the NLDS. It was a phenomenal win for the team, but it came in controversy. Wilmer Flores was called out on check-swinging, where he held up with ease.
There was a runner on in the bottom of the ninth when Flores was called out. Cody Bellinger was the hero for the Dodgers in game five, driving in the game-winning run. Max Scherzer came to close the series out, and he delivered with the final three outs. The Atlanta Braves defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in the other NLDS. Realistically, the Braves should get beat in five games by the almighty Dodgers. Atlanta can only hope that the team is deflated following their series against the Giants.
The games will start in Atlanta, and pitching could be an issue for Los Angeles to start. Max Scherzer, Julio Urias, and Walker Buehler will all likely not be available for the first game of the series. This could be an excellent way for the Braves to steal an early victory. They will need it to have any chance of beating Los Angeles in the NLCS. It will be interesting to see if Max Muncy can get back into the lineup in the NLCS.
Muncy suffered an injury in the final game of 2021, and he missed the entire NLDS. Muncy was the heart and soul of the offense. If he returns and delivers, the Braves will definitely struggle to keep the Dodgers off the board. Bellinger has also been very good in the postseason. This has been a massive boost for the club because they did not get much from the 2019 MVP last season.
You should bet on the Dodgers in the NLCS. They will likely roll to the World Series.
Derek Hudson
Derek is a long time sports bettor who grew up in Providence, RI. Derek is data driven and believes the key to betting the sportsbooks is finding an edge in analytics. Derek is happily married and has two young boys. Derek will bet on anything if you let him.
