The New York Yankees (76-52) visit the Oakland Athletics (70-59) Saturday for the third game of their four-game series at Oakland Coliseum. First pitch is scheduled for 4:07 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze the lines around the Yankees vs. Athletics odds with MLB picks and predictions.
New York won the first two games of the series by a combined score of 15-8 with Gerrit Cole picking up a victory Saturday as the Yankee lineup smacked 4 home runs in the 8-2 win.
Season series: Yankees lead 4-1.
LHP Nestor Cortes Jr. is on the rubber for the Yankees. Cortes is 2-1 with a 2.56 ERA (56 1/3 IP, 16 ER), 1.07 WHIP, 2.6 BB/9 and 9.6 K/9 in seven starts and eight relief appearances.
- Last outing: Win, 10-2, with 7 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB and 7 K Aug. 20 vs. the Minnesota Twins.
- Road splits: 1-1 with a 3.23 ERA (30 2/3 IP, 11 ER), 1.21 WHIP and 3.9 K/BB in four starts and three bullpen outings.
- Starter splits: 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA (36 2/3 IP, 11 ER), 1.04 WHIP and 4.0 K/BB.
RHP Frankie Montas is Oakland’s projected starter. Montas is 9-9 with a 3.84 ERA (143 IP, 61 ER), 1.24 WHIP, 2.6 BB/9 and 10.1 K/9 in 25 starts.
- Last outing: No-decision with 7 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB and 9 K in Oakland’s 2-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants Sunday.
- Home splits: 4-6 with a 4.00 ERA (78 2/3 IP, 35 ER), 1.27 WHIP and 4.6 K/9 in 14 starts.
Yankees at Athletics odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 12:11 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Yankees +102 (bet $100 to win $102) | Athletics -125 (bet $125 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Yankees -1.5 (+155) | Athletics +1.5 (-205)
- Over/Under: 8.5 (O: -122 | U: -102)
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Prediction
Yankees 5, Athletics 2
Money line (ML)
I’m going to roll with the hot hand and “LEAN” for a half unit on the YANKEES (+102). Cortes has been one of the Yankees’ unsung heroes in this recent hot streak as New York has won in six of Cortes’ last seven starts and he’s allowed 2 or fewer earned runs in all six of those Yankees wins.
The A’s have lost eight of their last 10 games and their lineup ranks 20th in wRC+, 23rd in wOBA and 18th in BB/K in the past two weeks whereas the Yankees are in the top 10 in each of those metrics.
Oakland is just 5-6 overall as a home favorite when Montas gets the start with a -21.0% return on investment (ROI) and an average score of 3.6-4.2.
On the other hand, New York has won all three road starts Cortes has made as an underdog with victories against the three current division leaders in the AL.
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
PASS. The Yankees are 20-25 ATS as road favorites and Oakland is 10-7 ATS as a home underdog. The Athletics also have the stronger overall ATS record and have covered 6 of their last 9 games.
Over/Under (O/U)
Slight “LEAN” to the UNDER 8.5 (-102) for a tiny wager if at all because I much prefer New York’s money line than the total.
That said, both teams play more to the Under in their location-based situational trends and these teams have a combined 13-19 O/U record when these starters are on the mound. The Under has cashed in Cortes’ last five starts against a team with a winning record.
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