- The Yankees are -170 favorites to win the series, with the Red Sox priced at +140.
- New York is -149 in the opener, with the Game 1 total set at 6.5.
- Cam Schlittler, the AL Cy Young frontrunner, pitches the opener for New York while Boston is still choosing between Sonny Gray and Payton Tolle.
- Aaron Judge hasn’t played since Sept. 16, and Aaron Boone says New York is planning to go without him.
NEW YORK – The New York Yankees are -170 against the Boston Red Sox to survive the AL Wild Card round, a three-game maximum played entirely in the Bronx from Tuesday. Aaron Judge’s playoff availability remains unresolved six days after manager Aaron Boone said New York is planning to go without him.
One Manager, One Slugger, Two Answers
Boone said last Tuesday, before New York hosted Tampa Bay for a doubleheader, that the Yankees were preparing to open the series without their captain. “We’re planning on him not being a part of that,” he told reporters. Judge has been out since Sept. 16 with what Boone called a moderate-grade right calf strain, sidelined into this week even after a platelet-poor plasma injection meant to speed the recovery.
A day later, Judge gave his own answer on the same injury. “That’s what the plan is,” he told ESPN, saying he intends to get his body ready before the opener. As of Saturday, Judge had not resumed baseball activities and was limited to plyometrics and treadmill work, per ESPN.
Schlittler Gets The Ball, Boston Still Deciding
New York finished the regular season 93-68 against Boston’s 87-75, a 6.5-game gap that makes the Yankees the higher seed hosting all three potential games on this week’s legal sports betting board. Boone had Max Fried in the mix for the opener before going with Schlittler, which pushes the left-hander to Game 2 with Gerrit Cole behind him for a third game.
Schlittler’s 14-6 record, 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts are the numbers behind the Cy Young talk, and Boone said Sunday the award is Schlittler’s to collect. He has been especially hard on Boston, a 0.55 ERA in five career starts against the Red Sox that includes last year’s series-clinching win, eight innings and 12 strikeouts in a 4-0 Game 3 that closed out a 2-1 Yankees series win over this same opponent.
Boston had not named its own Game 1 starter as of Sunday, manager Chad Tracy still choosing between veteran Sonny Gray (18-5, 2.72 ERA, with six postseason starts on his resume) and rookie left-hander Payton Tolle (9-6, 3.03 ERA), who held the Yankees to one run over 13 innings in two starts this season. Tracy told the Boston Globe he would save the announcement for Monday’s workout at Yankee Stadium, the day before first pitch.
Yankees Vs Red Sox Series Odds
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Series winner – Yankees | -170 |
| Series winner – Red Sox | +140 |
| Game 1 winner – Yankees | -149 |
| Game 1 total | 6.5 |
| Series length – Over 2.5 games | -105 |
| Series length – Under 2.5 games | -115 |
New York’s Game 1 number is shorter than its series price, a gap that says the market’s series edge rests on more than Schlittler’s start, with three home games and Fried and Cole behind him. The length market barely leans toward a sweep, pricing two games only a few cents shorter than a full three – a fair read on a Red Sox team that took Game 1 from the Yankees a year ago before New York closed it out.
It’s the kind of number that will keep showing up on the site’s MLB betting sites coverage through the Wild Card round.
Power Bats Against A Stingy Staff
Boston’s pitching staff allowed 153 home runs this season, fewer than every other team in the majors. New York offers the opposite problem. The Yankees hit 223 home runs, second only to Houston’s 226 across baseball, handing whichever Boston starter takes the ball, and the bullpen behind him, a lineup that finds the seats about as often as anyone left playing in October.
First pitch Tuesday is 8 p.m. in the Bronx, a day after Boston is expected to reveal its Game 1 starter.
