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With major playoff implications on the line, the postseason clinging Minnesota Twins will to rebound from their loss yesterday as they continue a series in the Bronx against the division-leading New York Yankees. Check out our MLB odds series, where our Twins-Yankees prediction and pick will come true.
Standing at 68-65 and occupying the second place position in the AL Central standings, each game from here on out for Minnesota is a vital one. Trailing the Guardians by only one game for the division lead, the Twins will call upon righty Joe Ryan in an attempt to even up the series with his 10-7 record and 3.88 ERA.
While the Yankees have certainly had more downs than ups during the second half of the regular season slate, New York still sits at a comfortable five-game lead out in the American League East standings. After coming out on top at home versus the Twins yesterday by a score of 5-2, New York has now won back-to-back games. On the bump for the ‘Yanks in this one will be ace Gerrit Cole and his 10-7 record to go along with a stifling 3.28 earned-run average.
Here are the Twins-Yankees MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Twins-Yankees Odds
Minnesota Twins: +1.5 (-132)
New York Yankees: -1.5 (+110)
Over: 6.5 (-114)
Under: 6.5 (-106)
Why The Twins Could Cover The Spread
With a 28-36 record on the road, the Twins' woes as visitors this season were on full display yesterday during the 5-2 loss at Yankee Stadium. In the contest, the Twins stranded seven men on base which eventually led to their downfall. While mustering up six hits wasn't the worse thing in the world, the Twins will need to have a greater sense of urgency inside the batter's box, especially with Cole on the mound for the ‘Yanks.
Conversely, the good news for Twins fans and bettors alike is that Minnesota has been well above average in the hitting department this season. As a whole, the Twins currently have the ninth-best on-base percentage and also have seen 585 runs cross the plate, which is good for the 16th most in all of major league baseball. At first glance, Minnesota should have had an issue in getting men on base, but it will come down to the clutch and timely hits that follow that will determine if the Twins are able to cover the spread or not.
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Ideally, the Twins would surely be in favor of supplementing a high-powered offensive attack with a shut-down pitching performance from one of Minnesota's better all-around pitchers in righty Joe Ryan. This evening's contest will prove to be one of many firsts for Ryan, as the 26-year-old San Francisco native has never dueled with New York in his career. Since the halfway point of the season, Ryan has been just average in his outings with a 4-4 record and a 5.44 ERA.
Why The Yankees Could Cover The Spread
All rise for the honorable Aaron Judge! On Monday, the behemoth of a slugger went yard for the 54th time this season, which is currently on pace to break the Yankee's season home run record set by the great Roger Maris when he broke Babe Ruth's all-time record with 61 home runs back in 1961. Without a doubt, the future 2022 AL MVP is having a historic season that few players in the history of the game have been able to experience.
Even more impressively, Judge has also been able to keep his batting average at a remarkable .302 in a day of age where hitters' averages are nowhere as high as they used to be. If Judge receives a mistake pitch from Ryan or any of the Twins arms this afternoon, be on the lookout for the New York star to wreak havoc on his way to becoming etched in Yankees history forever.
With a slugger like Judge in the heart of the lineup, New York will also throw one of the more dynamic arms in the game on Tuesday in Gerrit Cole. Throughout his illustrious career, Cole has become known to silence bats. In fact, against the Twins in his career, Cole has remained unbeaten with a spotless 3-0 record and a 3.80 ERA to boot. If there is one major area of concern for Cole and the ‘Yanks, it is that the right-handed flamethrower is only 1-5 in his starts since the All-Star break. Whether this is in large part because of the Yankees' struggles or Cole being off, this is the type of matchup for the New York ace to return to his dominant form.
Final Twins-Yankees Prediction & Pick
Could this be a future AL playoff matchup come October? Only time will tell. Until then, the Twins and Yankees are both in a battle for their divisions and can't afford losses down the stretch. At the end of the day, the Twins should be expected to bounce back in this one, especially with New York's unfamiliarity with Ryan. Take the Twins +1.5 spread and don't look back!
Final Twins-Yankees Prediction & Pick: Twins +1.5 (-132)
