The New York Yankees will take on the Oakland Athletics for the second installment of their four-game series. .  It’s time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Yankees-Athletics prediction and pick.

In the opening match of this series, the Yankees earned a 7-6 victory extending their winning streak to twelve games.  However, expect Athletics manager Bob Melvin and his men to come out motivated as they look to end their five-game losing streak and make a push for the final American League Wildcard spot.

Here’s how sportsbooks have set the Yankees-Athletics Odds.

MLB Odds: Yankees-Athletics Odds

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New York Yankees -1.5 (+103)

Oakland Athletics +1.5 (-123)

Over 7.5 runs (-125)

Under 7.5 runs (+105)

Why The Yankees Could Cover The Spread

The Yankees are 63-64 against the run line this season. However, during their twelve-game winning streak, they have covered the run line in ten of them.

New York plans to give their ace Gerrit Cole his 24th start of the season. The right-hander is 12-6 and has the eleventh best ERA amongst pitchers this season at 2.92. Cole gave up five hits and just one walk during six innings of shutout baseball in his last start.

Cole is 4-1 with a 3.02 ERA in his nine starts against the Athletics.

During the Yankees' twelve-game winning streak, they are averaging 5.58 runs per game. Much of their recent success is directly correlated to their production out of their top stars.

For August, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are batting above .300 and have combined for 13 home runs. Moreover,  Anthony Rizzo and Gio Urshela will be returning to the lineup, providing them with even more firepower.

Why The Athletics Could Cover The Spread

The Athletics are 71-57 against the run line this season, which is fifth-best in the MLB. Moreover, when they are considered the home underdog, they cover 62.5% of the time.

Oakland plans to start Sean Manaea on the mound. The left-hander is 8-8 on the year and has an ERA of 3.77 innings. In his last nine innings pitched, Manaea has given up nine earned runs and four homers. However, the last time the 29-year-old pitched against the Yankees this season, he tallied 11 strikeouts in five innings and allowed two runs.

The Athletics are mediocre when it comes to the offensive side of the ball. They rank thirteenth in the MLB with 160 home runs and are averaging 4.46 runs per game.

However, Oakland has a few individuals that can provide a spark from the batter's box. For instance, Matt Olson currently leads the team with 32 home runs and 82 RBIs. Behind him, they have Jed Lowrie, who has 103 hits with 22 doubles and 13 home runs.

Final Yankees-Athletics Prediction & Pick

The Yankees have a far superior batting lineup and are favored in the pitching match up with Cole getting the start. However, the full run line may be too risky and despite Chapman achieving his 300th career save in game one of the series, he has been inconsistent late.

That said, the first five innings provide solid value and is where most of the sharps are placing their money.

FINAL YANKEES-ATHLETICS PREDICTION & PICK: Yankees -0.5 for the First Five Innings (-120)