How Astros, Rockies & Twins Are Lining Bettors’ Pockets

Jose Altuve and the Astros have won 22 of their first 28 road games this season. (Photo credit: Keith Allison via Foter.com / CC BY-SA)

Though home/road splits aren’t usually as extreme in baseball as in other sports, it’s still difficult to win consistently as the visitor in Major League Baseball.

Through June 6, only 7 teams in MLB have winning records on the road. More importantly to baseball bettors, those are also the only 7 teams who have been profitable to bet on when wearing their travel greys.

Here’s a closer look at the top 3 MLB road bets in 2017 and how they’re getting the job done (dollar values indicate what you’d have profited this season if you bet $100 on every road game they played).

1. Houston Astros (22-6, +$1,597)


If you’ve even been paying casual attention to the MLB standings, this likely doesn’t come as a surprise. The Astros have been so hot through the first third of the season, they could probably win games on the moon.

However, it may surprise you to know that most of the damage the Astros have done en route to their 42-16 start has taken place in enemy territory. Houston is a ridiculous 22-6 on the road this year, making its 20-10 home mark look mediocre by comparison.

The Astros are hitting 28 points higher as a team when they’re the visitor, and they’ve scored nearly 60 more runs on the road despite playing less games there than at home. They’ve needed the extra offense, since their pitching has been worse in opposing stadiums (3.91 ERA, compared to a 2.99 ERA at Minute Maid Park).

If that suggests to you that the Astros are great Over bets on the road as well, you’re right. They’re 16-8 to the Over this year on the road, while going Over just 12 times in their 30 home contests.

2. Colorado Rockies (21-10, +$1,339)


When you think about the Rockies, you probably think about their inflated batting numbers from playing 81 games a year in Coors Field.

It’s been when Colorado isn’t playing at high altitude, however, that the Rockies have been at their best in 2017. Colorado is a National League-best 21-10 on the road this year, the big reason why the Rox are off to a surprising 36-23 start to lead the NL West.

Though Colorado’s hitting 18 points lower as the visitor this season, the Rockies’ other offensive numbers haven’t dropped off that much from their home performance. Colorado has scored just 4 less runs and hit just 3 fewer homers as the road team this year, and it has actually hit 13 more doubles away from Coors.

A more predictable reason for the Rockies’ road success has been their pitching. Colorado hurlers are limiting opponents to a .227 batting average and a 3.38 ERA when the Rockies are on the road, compared to .268 and 5.04 at Coors.

You should especially consider betting Colorado on the road when they send Tyler Chatwood to the mound. The Rockies starter has a 2.68 ERA and .168 opposing batter average when he’s the visitor, but has an awful 7.03 ERA and .301 average against when at home.

3. Minnesota Twins (17-6, +$1,338)


The Twins are the ideal MLB road team to bet because they’re almost always an underdog in that situation.

Minnesota is 29-24 overall this year, but a 12-18 home record keeps them under the radar a bit. When they put on their visiting uniforms, they’ve won 17 of 23 outings, the second-best road winning percentage in all of baseball.

The Twins’ road success is virtually entirely because of their pitching. Minnesota pitchers have a 3.85 ERA and are holding opponents to a .231 batting average when they’re the visitor, but have given up a 5.15 ERA and .272 batting average when at Target Field.