Yankees Favored in Los Angeles Road Game
The Yankees may be handily atop the AL East, but when they head West to face the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, they are not going to be in for an easy time. After a rough start to the season, the Angels have found somewhat of a groove lately, as they have taken 2 of 3 from their last 2 series. The Yankees will be coming off a sweep of the cooling Orioles, and are in great form overall. This will be the first of a 3-game series between the New York and LA ball clubs, and it is sure to be an exciting one.
As far as series prices are concerned, Bovada has the Yankees listed at -150 on the moneyline, while the Angels sit as home underdogs, at +120.
Tanaka’s Struggles Highlighted
Despite the Yankees’ surprisingly strong performance thus far through the 2017 MLB season, one of their pitchers, Masahiro Tanaka, has been underwhelming to say the least. The pitcher is 5-6 on the year and is currently riding a 5-game losing streak. Tanaka’s ERA is now up to 6.55 and seems to be getting worse with each outing.
Joe Girardi, speaking with ESPN, commented on Tanaka’s performances of late by saying, “I really believe it’s consistency in his mechanics. It can be minor…and that’s what leads to inconsistency with the pitches.” If the veteran pitcher cannot turn things around starting tonight in Anaheim, he is going to have a tough time. The Angels have been really lighting it up as of late, and have been averaging almost 9 runs per game over their last 4 games, including a 12-6 decision against the Houston Astros, who are widely regarded as the hottest team in baseball right now.
When you look at how Tanaka has been performing and the current strength of the Angels’ bats, the 8.5 run over (-115) seems like a safe bet. This grows even more plausible once you consider the fact that the Yankees have scored 8 or more runs in each of their last 5 outings. In fact, their last 2 games with the Orioles saw the Bronx Bombers plate a total of 30 runs. Even if Tanaka has a lights-out night on the mound, the over is still very much in play. For those who think that these two offenses might be running out of steam, Bovada is currently listing under 8.5 runs at -105.
Yankees Exceeding Expectations, Angels Finally Finding Form
Before this season got underway, the Yankees were not expected to do much at all, as is perfectly highlighted in this piece from beyondtheboxscore. Despite this the Yankees are 4-games atop the AL East and have one of the best records in baseball.
The Angels were expected to be a solid team, but a rough stretch from April through May, combined with the Astros’ phenomenal run, sees the West Coast team sitting in 2nd in the AL West, a whopping 12 games behind the Astros.
When the Angels (+125) take the field on Monday, they will do so in front of their home crowd as underdogs. Starting on the mound is 2-year veteran Alex Meyer, who has thus far had an inconsistent season. The hard-throwing right-hander is 2-3 on the year with an ERA just above 4. His last 3 starts have resulted in 3 losses for the Angels, and 2 decisions against Meyer. Meyer is clearly looking to gain some sort of foothold, however against the Yankees that does not seem like such a great decision.
Our Picks
As was briefly touched upon above, the 8.5 run over/under (-115/-105) seems more than likely to go over. Based off of both teams’ last few outings, it is clear to see that the bats are on fire. If the overall over/under does not appeal, the Yankees team 4.5 over/under (-110/-115) seems like a safe over bet to make. After all, with 14 and 16 runs being batted in by the Yankees in each of their previous 2 games, it is clear to see that their offense is clicking.
The Yankees are currently listed on the moneyline at -145, and we see a lot of value in that bet. The Angels are good, and have been doing better more recently, but the Yankees seem to be far superior. If Tanaka can string together 6 or 7 innings of solid pitching, the Yankees bets seem more than capable of taking care of the rest.
Another bet offered by Bovada is an alternate spread that sees the Yankees 4.5 run favorites (+370). While beating any MLB team by more than 4 runs is a feat in and of itself, the Yankees have done that in each of their last 5 outings, all of which have been against solid teams. As such, I would not rule this potentially very rewarding bet out at all.
You might see value in the Angels being listed at +125 at home, but Alex Meyer—at least on paper—does not seem to stand a chance against the Yankees bats, and if Tanaka can put together a solid performance, the Angels look like even bigger underdogs than +125 might suggest.