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In one of the great rivalries in all of sports, the Boston Red Sox gear up to go to war with the New York Yankees in game two of each club's opening season series. It is time to take a look at our MLB odds series, where our Red Sox-Yankees prediction and pick will be unveiled.
In a thrilling Opening Day matchup between two heated rivals, the Red Sox fell short to New York in extra innings by a score of 6-5. With the game lasting hours on end due to poor weather conditions, losing in this marathon game stung a little extra for Boston.
Getting the start will be skilled pitcher Nick Pivetta, who has always shown promise with his filthy arsenal but has yet to live up to expectations thus far. Pivetta was 9-8 with a 4.53 ERA during the 2021 season.
As for the Yankees, the 27-time World Series champions could not have gotten off to a better start in the new baseball season. At Yankee Stadium, New York thwarted their arch-nemesis after newcomer Josh Donaldson poked a game-winning walk-off base hit in the 11th inning.
On the mound for the Yanks in the second edition between these two clubs will be Luis Severino, who after signing a hefty four-year deal in 2019 has only pitched 18 innings since undergoing Tommy John Surgery in 2020.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Red Sox-Yankees MLB odds:
MLB odds: Red Sox-Yankees Odds
Boston Red Sox: +1.5 (-156)
New York Yankees: -1.5 (+130)
Over: 9 (-102)
Under: 9 (-120)
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Why the Red Sox Could Cover the Spread
When the Red Sox and Yankees get together on the diamond, it is almost certain that an all-out bloodbath will surely ensue. This was the case on Friday, as both AL East clubs copied each other with nine hits and seemingly trades blows for the majority of the game.
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In one of the best all-around divisions in baseball, it is fair to say that this opening divisional series already has massive playoff implications with how things may end up shaping up later down the road when September and October roll around.
After leading 3-0 in the top of the first inning, Boston succumbed their lead by giving up a pair of scores before alternating runs for the rest of the stormy afternoon. Just when you thought that losing the game was painful enough for Red Sox nation, Boston is already getting hit with the injury bug as SS Xander Bogaerts has to exit the game in the 10th after pulling a hamstring. This is not the ideal start the Red Sox had hoped for, but like any rivalry matchup, this Saturday afternoon special has the makings to be a grind-out game once again.
The Red Sox could cover the spread because of their recent success versus division opponents, as Boston is 4-1 in the last five games against such competition. Additionally, Boston is 8-3 when matching up against right-handed pitching dating back to last season.
Why the Yankees Could Cover the Spread
Start spreading the news! The winningest franchise in not only baseball but all of sports is off on the right foot after narrowly disposing their rivals on Friday. While the Yankees may be a slight favorite heading into this highly-anticipated April matchup, New York will no question have to fight and claw their way to stay unbeaten two games into the 2022 campaign. New York could end up representing the American League in the World Series when it is all said and done, but until then, the Yanks need to focus on staying healthy as the season progresses.
Starting pitching will be the key to success for New York in 2022, and no player may have as big of an effect on the Yankees as Luis Severino. Avoiding the injury bug will be priority number one for the former Cy Young caliber flamethrower, as Severino hasn't seen a full workload since the 2018 season. While the Yankees don't expect Severino to pitch deep into the later innings, a solid start to the campaign would go a long way in shaking off the rust and getting into the right state of mind as one of New York's top arms in their staff.
The Yankees struck out 15 times on Friday, so making contact and forcing Boston's defense to make plays will put pressure on the Red Sox to play a clean game.
The weather forecast in New York on Saturday is projected to be windy, with winds reaching 15 MPH and blowing towards centerfield. This could end up being a slept-on factor, as the Yankees boast a lineup with never-ending pop and the ability to put runs up in a hurry with the long ball.
Final Red Sox-Yankees Prediction & Pick
As close as this one was in their first meeting of the season, there is no reason that the competitive play between both sides won't continue on Saturday. Whether or not the Red Sox even up the series remains to be seen, but Boston should come out motivated after the devastating loss yesterday.
Final Red Sox-Yankees Pick: Red Sox +1.5 (-156)
