Braves vs. Astros: The best player prop bets for World Series Game 6

Houston, we have a series.

Astros fans received a tasty treat on Halloween as Houston powered past the Braves 9-5 to stave off elimination. Carlos Correa and Martín Maldonado provided the pop, while Houston's pen slammed the door on Atlanta after a disastrous start by Framber Valdez.

The Astros now return to the friendly confines of Minute Maid Park with a chance to knot up the World Series at three games apiece.

Houston manager Dusty Baker will give the ball to rookie Luis Garcia (11-8, 3.30 ERA), who will be making his second start since Friday, when he struck out six over 3.2 innings. Braves bench boss Brian Snitker will counter with Max Fried, who has been hit harder than a pinata in his last two outings.

First pitch is scheduled for 8:09 p.m. ET, and we have the three best player prop bets below.

Max Fried Over/Under 4.5 strikeouts

It's often said that the playoffs are a brand new season, and that's been especially true for Max Fried. After routinely mowing down batters from April to September, the veteran southpaw struggled to record a clean ledger in October. Fried is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA this postseason and is coming off a pair of shaky starts in which he surrendered a combined 11 earned runs over 9.2 innings.

Fried looked especially vulnerable in Game 2, when he was rocked for four runs in the second inning alone. Snitker gave him the hook midway through the sixth frame, but not before the game was already well out of reach.

Could the 27-year-old be wilting under the pressure of playing on baseball's biggest stage, or is he simply bagged after rocketing past his previous career-high for innings pitched? It's hard to say, but his floating curves won't cut it against a heavy-hitting crew like the Astros. Take the Under on his projected strikeout total tonight.

Pick: Under 4.5 strikeouts (-148)

Kyle Tucker Over/Under 0.5 hits

The last time Fried faced the Astros on Oct. 27, Kyle Tucker tagged him for a hard-hit single to center field in the second inning. The Houston outfielder has since recorded a two-hit performance in Game 4 and went 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs in Game 5. Overall, Tucker is hitting a robust .333 in the World Series and is hitting .356 over the past 28 days.

Need more convincing? Tucker hit .286 against left-handed starters in 2021 and his batting average was over 90 points higher at home this season. The 24-year-old slugger simply loves home cooking, and it will show in tonight's box score.

Pick: Over 0.5 hits (-250)

Luis Garcia Over/Under 3.5 strikeouts

Luis Garcia has been maddeningly inconsistent this postseason, but one thing he has been able to do regularly is ring up opposing hitters. The rookie hurler has struck out an average of 6.5 batters over his last two outings, and that number likely would have been far higher had he not been lifted after 3.2 innings in Game 3 to allow left-handed reliever Blake Taylor to face Eddie Rosario.

Garcia threw just 72 pitches in that game and is reportedly feeling fresh despite pitching on short rest. "When [the postseason] started, I was kind of nervous, but now I have confidence in myself and what I can do," he told reporters. "I feel better now, compared to the beginning. I feel really good."

Garcia's growing self-assuredness could be bad new for the Braves. Expect him to log just enough innings to hit the Over on this prop tonight.

Pick: Over 3.5 strikeouts (-162)