Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees Betting Preview
After a fun and event-filled MLB All-Star break, the second half of the major league baseball season will get underway with the first game of a series that pairs up two AL East rivals in the Bronx, as the New York Yankees will host the Boston Red Sox at their home of Yankee stadium to start their four-game series after the All-Star festivities.
The Red Sox have beat the Yankees in all six meetings this year and recently swept them in an exhilarating series at Fenway Park in late June. However, the Sox dropped two games prior to the break against the Philadelphia Phillies by scores of 4-5 and 2-11.
The Yankees had a series versus the AL West-leading Houston Astros prior to the break, and they were able to take two of three from the Astros in Houston at Minute Maid Park. The first two games saw them shut out the best scoring team in the MLB off of great performances from their bullpen in Game 1 of the series, and an absolute gem of a game from Gerrit Cole in Game 2
Keys to Game 1 of this Series
The Red Sox enter this game against their near city foes, holding a 1.5-game advantage on the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East race to the pennant and look to build on that in this Thursday game.
On the season, the Red Sox are 55-36, third in total runs scored in the Major Leagues, and that is due to their third-best team batting average.
In Sunday’s game before the All-Star break, Boston got three hits from Christian Arroyo, who also tallied a run and an RBI. Xander Bogaerts added his 15th homer of the season in a losing effort for the Red Sox.
Xander Bogaerts had a great All-Star showing, getting a pair of hits and an RBI on three plate appearances in the game. Had it not been for the performance of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his 468 ft bomb, Bogaerts might have won the MVP of the All-Star game.
Eduardo Rodriguez will get the ball from his manager for his 18th start of the season for the Red Sox in this matchup with the Yankees.
On the season, he boasts a record of 6-5 with a 5.52 ERA, a 1.372 WHIP, 21 walks, and 104 strikeouts over 89.2 on the mound during this season.
In his last start, Rodriguez took the mound for his fifth loss of the year, which came last Wednesday on the road against the Los Angeles Angels. He threw five-inning sub-par innings, allowing four runs, nine hits, but no walks and five strikeouts in what ended up being a 5-4 Red Sox loss.
He has pitched relatively well against the Yankees over the years, boasting a winning record of 7-6. However, he is 2-4 when pitching at the beloved Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees were happy to get a break after blowing their chance at what could have been a sweep against the Houston Astros, their fierce AL rival.
For the season, the Boston Red Sox are 55-36, third in total runs scored in the Major Leagues, and that is due to their third-best team batting average.They absolutely tanked their close out of the ninth inning in which they had a five-run lead. Reliever Domingo German surrendered two runs on a line drive double from Abraham Toro.
And then only a few at-bats later, Chad Green, the brilliant Yankees closer, choked up a three-run homer to the Astros star leader, shortstop Jose Altuve. Altuve entered the break on a hot streak, and that was a good way to close it off.
The Yankees really need to pick up their game and their bats if they are going to have any chance in this AL East run by the Sox. They are all the way down at 23rd when it comes to runs scored, and they are 17th in total team batting average.
That lack of scoring has them sitting at 46-43 and tied for third in the AL East. They have really struggled this season.
When a team fails to score and hit the baseball, it really does not matter how good their pitching is, and for the Yankees, that has not helped them either.
Jordan Montgomery will take the mound for the Yankees in this returning game. On the season, he has recorded 3 wins and 4 losses and a not-so-great ERA of 4.16. He has been impressive with 95 strikeouts over 93 innings.
In his last game, he pitched six shutout innings for the Yanks with nine strikeouts and only allowing three hits in the Houston series.
Prediction
Having no luck against their bitter rivals this season, I’m not sure if the Yankees can keep up with them in this game and in the race towards the playoff.
Although I do think this pitching matchup is pretty even, the Red Sox definitely take the advantage on the offensive end from their stars that include All-Stars Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts. I think these guys will keep their momentum alive.
Yankees fans will not be going home happy from this one at Yankee Stadium.
