The Yankees rolled past the Guardians in Game 1 and were hoping to keep that momentum going into Game 2. After a Giancarlo Stanton first-inning two-run homer, New York’s bats were held silent the rest of the way. Most Yankees fans would tell you it was a disappointing 2 game set in New York, especially after seeing Aaron Judge go 0-8 with 7 strikeouts. The Bronx faithful let Judge hear it after his 4th strikeout last night.

The Yankees will now head to Cleveland for games 3 and 4 of the series. They’ll have to get their offense going before it’s too late.

Bronx Bombers Still Favored

The Yankees were huge favorites to win the series after Game 1, but after their latest loss, the odds have shifted. New York still remains the favorite to win the series, but not by very much.

Here’s an odds table of what several SBNY Sportsbooks think.

ALDS Series WinnerFanDuelBetRiversCaesars
Yankees-156-157-160
Guardians+132+128+140

The Guardians now hold home-field advantage after splitting in the Bronx. If the Yankees lose again tonight, it will change the series’ outlook dramatically.

DraftKings is the place to go if you’re looking to wager on the Yankees to win the series. The NY Sportsbook is giving them -145 odds to win the series, which is better odds than you’ll find most places. Caesars is giving the Guardians the longest odds. At +140, a $50 wager would pay out $70.

Why Are the Yankees favored?

The Yankees were a 99-win team in the regular season. New York had a rough August, which saw them go 10-18, but they were able to rebound well in September, and coast into the MLB playoffs with a first-round bye. The Guardians, on the other hand, were a lackluster division winner. They finished with 92 wins and don’t have much firepower through their roster.

Firepower is much of what separates these 2 teams. Aaron Judge is at the head of it. The likely AL MVP finished the season with 62 home runs but has yet to have an impact on his team’s first 2 postseason games. Gerrit Cole headlines the Yankees pitching staff. Cole is a strikeout pitcher who struggles at times to stay away from the disaster inning but still is a good guy to have at the top of the rotation. The right-hander pitched well in Game 1 and is scheduled to make his next start in Game 4. 

The Guardians were the youngest team in baseball this year. They’re headlined by Jose Ramirez and Shane Bieber, but at times have struggled to score runs. It’s shown thus far in the playoffs, as they went 15 innings before their first run vs the Rays in Game 2 of the Wildcard Series, and have only been able to score periodically against the Yankees. 

The Guardians used their top arm, Shane Bieber, in Game 2. The earliest we’d next see him is in Game 5. Cal Quantrill is another talented Guardians pitcher, but he’ll have to go up against Cole in game 4. The Yankees have a slight advantage in the pitching matchups but also are able to use the long ball better, which gives them the edge in this series.

Game 3

Game 3 of the series will start shortly and it’s set to be a decisive one.

The pitching matchup is relatively even, with Luis Severino going up against Triston McKenzie. Each pitcher fared well this year but unlike McKenzie, Saturday’s matchup will be Severino’s first postseason appearance of the season. Oddsmakers seem to like the Yankees in this one too. FanDuel is giving the Bronx Bombers -124 odds to win tonight.

If the Yankees do end up taking this one, the Guardians will have a tough time getting back in the series with Cole looming in Game 4.

For more information about betting on baseball, visit the SBNY Baseball page.

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