It’s no secret that everybody’s going to be watching this series specifically. It’s going to be a fun one,” said former Chicago Cubs first-round draft pick Cam Smith.

The Chicago Cubs (48-33) and the Houston Astros (48-33) open a 3-game series Friday. First pitch from Daikin Park is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET. Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's MLB odds around the Cubs vs. Astros odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Cam Smith hit a three-run homer in his first game against the Cubs since being traded to Houston and Brandon Walter threw six solid innings in his first MLB victory as the Astros beat Chicago 7-4 on Friday night.