⚾ Dodgers vs. Astros Prediction & Picks: MLB Odds for Tuesday, May 5

The behemoth Dodgers are teed up to thrive once again while looking to plow through a team that struggles immensely to get outs without damage.

Houston's pitching woes are central to my Dodgers vs. Astros prediction, as is the lopsided Shohei Ohtani vs. Peter Lambert pitching matchup that provides a juicy betting opportunity. Ohtani has been nearly perfect on the mound while putting up a 0.60 ERA.

It all gets underway from Daikin Park at 8:10 p.m. ET, with the Dodgers entering as the heavy -215 favorites.

⚾ Dodgers vs. Astros picks & odds today

See all of our experts’ MLB picks based on the latest MLB odds; picks rated on a 1-to-5 star confidence scale based on betting value.

Total wagered: 1.20 units | Max profit: 2.52 units

🏆 Who will win Dodgers vs. Astros?

The Dodgers will win their third straight game and take the series after cruising to an 8-3 victory last night. And they'll no doubt win in a similar fashion too after demolishing an MLB-worst pitching staff en route to 13 hits on Monday

Score prediction: Dodgers 6, Astros 2

💰 Dodgers vs. Astros prediction & best bet

Dodgers -1.5 (-128)

The Astros' pitching staff is atrocious, and that isn't exactly the ideal situation when trying to navigate the flamethrower that is the Dodgers' offense.

Houston sits last in team ERA (5.78), second-last in starters' ERA (5.35), and the team's bullpen is even more of an abomination (last with a 6.22 ERA). That alone slants the game heavily toward the Dodgers, without even discussing the looming presence of Ohtani on the mound.

Houston's starter Peter Lambert has been intriguing. But his 4.1 BB/9 could quickly be Lambert's undoing if too many free base runners are given to a powerful lineup.

🔥 Best Dodgers vs. Astros player prop bet

Shohei Ohtani Under 1.5 earned runs allowed (+111)

Ohtani has lasted exactly six innings during each of his five starts this season, and he's given up a mere two runs across those 30 frames.

There's admittedly some concern tied to this wager when looking at the Astros' offense. Pitching has been the team's downfall, but their lineup sits fifth with a .782 OPS. But there are still gaping holes in Houston's batting order, and most notably Jose Altuve and Isaac Paredes, who have put up hard-hit rates of 35.0 and 26.1, respectively.

Ohtani of course boasts the arsenal to silence any lineup, and he's regularly missing bats with his barrel percentage that sits in the 91st percentile.

💣 Dodgers vs. Astros home run prediction

Max Muncy to hit a home run (+320)

The Astros' pitchers unsurprisingly struggle against lefties too while giving up a .264 batting average (tied for 25th).

Max Muncy will no doubt revert back to his all-power approach with less of a contact focus. But right now he's doing both while posting a career-best .292 batting average and .969 OPS. That lethal combination has led to nine homers thus far, and even more impressively, an expected slugging (.590) and hard-hit rate (53.7) that are both in the 95th percentile or above, according to Baseball Savant.

Toss in Daikin Park being MLB's fourth-most homer-friendly venue this season, according to Statcast's ballpark factors, and Muncy is well-positioned to go deep again.

I looked elsewhere too on the Dodgers' lineup in my best home run predictions today.

🚀 Dodgers vs. Astros same-game parlay

There's a clear correlation throughout this parlay as we ride with Ohtani to steamroll his latest victim, and take the more conservative approach while slotting in Muncy's total bases Over.

💵 My betting record for MLB picks

All MLB picks, including SGPs, have been tracked since March 27.

💡 How I'm betting Dodgers vs. Astros: MLB strategy

Follow all of our MLB analysis and expert predictions for baseball season.

My only hesitation regarding the betting strategy for this game is tied to how we approach Ohtani on the mound. The Astros' offense is potent, but I still believe strongly enough in Ohtani's overpowering stuff to invest a full unit.

I did the same with the Dodgers on the run line, and that was an easy decision since the Astros have put together a lowly run line record of 14-22.

📊 Live Dodgers vs. Astros odds

The Dodgers are unsurprisingly getting the overwhelming majority of the moneyline and run line support at the best MLB betting sites. They're receiving 92% of the moneyline bets through DraftKings, and 86% of the run line wagers.

They opened around -125 on the run line, and Los Angeles has now drifted to about -135 at some books. I expect that movement to continue, and I'd begin to look elsewhere if it gets much past -140.

📈 Dodgers vs. Astros betting trends

🚑 Dodgers vs. Astros injuries

📺 How to watch Dodgers vs. Astros

• Date: Tuesday, May 5
• First pitch: 8:10 p.m. ET
• Ballpark: Daikin Park (Houston)
• TV: TBS
• Streaming: MLB.TV
• Dodgers starter: Shohei Ohtani (0.60, X.XX ERA)
• Astros starter: Phil Lambert (1-2, 3.52 ERA)