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The Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees play Game 2 of the best-of-7 ALCS Tuesday. First pitch from Yankee Stadium is scheduled for 7:38 p.m. ET (TBS). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s MLB odds around the Guardians vs. Yankees odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Playoff series: Yankees lead 1-0 | Regular-season series: Yankees won 4-2
The Yankees won the Monday opener 5-2 as -161 home favorites while the total (7) pushed. RF Juan Soto and DH Giancarlo Stanton each homered, and SP Carlos Rodón allowed 1 ER on 3 hits and no walks with 9 K’s to get his 1st postseason win.
The Guardians threw 5 wild pitches and walked 9 batters in Monday’s setback. Cleveland has lost 7 of the last 9 meetings with the Yankees, including 3 straight.
Guardians at Yankees projected starters
RHP Tanner Bibee vs. RHP Gerrit Cole
Bibee (12-8, 3.47 ERA) made 31 regular-season starts. He had a 1.12 WHIP, 2.3 BB/9 and 9.7 K/9 in 173 2/3 IP.
- Last start: No-decision, 4 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K in 5-4 win at Detroit Tigers Thursday in Game 4 of ALDS
- 2024 postseason stats: 0-0, 2.08 ERA (8 2/3 IP, 2 ER), 8 H, 3 BB, 9 K in 2 starts
- 2024 regular-season road stats: 7-4, 2.76 ERA (84 2/3 IP, 26 ER), 1.05 WHIP, 9.4 K/9 in 15 starts
- Career vs. Yankees: 0-0, 1 road start (May 2, 2023), 5 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 5 K in 4-2 road loss in 2nd MLB start
Cole (1-0, 3.00 ERA) made 17 regular-season starts. He had a 1.13 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9 and 9.4 K/9 in 95 IP.
- Last start: Win, 7 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 4 K in 3-1 victory at Kansas City Royals Thursday in Game 4 of ALDS
- 2024 postseason stats: 1-0, 3.00 ERA (12 IP, 4 ER), 1.25 WHIP, 6.0 K/9 in 2 starts
- 2024 regular-season home stats: 3-2, 4.31 ERA (48 IP, 23 ER), 1.27 WHIP, 9.0 K/9 in 9 starts
- 2024 vs. Guardians: 1-0, 1 home start (Aug. 22), 6 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 5 BB, 2 K in 6-0 win
- Career vs. Guardians (regular season): 7-2, 2.82 ERA (73 1/3 IP, 23 ER), 0.96 WHIP, 9.0 K/9 in 11 starts
- Career postseason stats vs. Guardians: 4-0, 1.98 ERA (27 1/3 IP, 6 ER), 0.77 WHIP, 13.5 K/9 in 4 starts
Guardians at Yankees odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of MLB odds. Lines last updated at 6:33 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Guardians +145 (bet $100 to win $145) | Yankees -175 (bet $175 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Guardians +1.5 (-160) | Yankees -1.5 (+135)
- Over/Under (O/U): 7 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Guardians at Yankees picks and predictions
Prediction
Yankees 3, Guardians 2
Moneyline
The Yankees (-175) most likely win with Cole taking the mound in Game 2, but the bid-ask difference is too high to recommend a play.
PASS. Bet the run line and/or total instead.
Run line/Against the spread
The Yankees are averaging just 3.8 runs per game this postseason and already covered a -1.5 run line against Cleveland in Game 1.
We know that Cole will make it difficult for Cleveland to score runs — as he has in the postseason throughout his career — but it’s unlikely the Yankees will score enough to cover as run-line favorites for a 3rd straight game.
BET GUARDIANS +1.5 (-160).
Over/Under
This total is low, and I normally wouldn’t recommend betting the Under on a key number like 7. However, with Bibee and Cole taking the mound, it’s hard to consider playing the Over.
The Yankees have scored 3 or fewer runs in 3 of their last 4 games, and Bibee has allowed 2 ER or fewer in 4 straight starts.
BET UNDER 7 (-115).
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