Today, for our best bet of the day, we are focusing on an AL showdown – the Yankees vs. Rangers. This is the first game of the series, and it should be a great one.
Yankees vs. Rangers – Best Bet
New York Yankees at Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers +155 (WynnBet)
The Yankees’ season has not been off to a blazing start. New York is 14-11, they have dropped their last two series, and they are dealing with injuries to key contributors. On the other hand, the Rangers, despite having a very similar record (14-10), are off to a great start. Jacob deGrom looks great, their offense is mashing, and besides the injury to Corey Seager, everything seems to be going according to plan for Texas.
Gerrit Cole takes the mound for the Yankees vs. Rangers, and while this is probably pretty obvious, he gives the Yankees the best chance to win every time he touches the rubber. Cole is 4-0 on the season with a .79 ERA, a .79 WHIP, a 2.19 FIP, a 9.53 K/9, and a .224 BABIP. In his last start, he allowed no runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts against the Blue Jays.
However, I do not think Cole is in a position to shut down the Rangers tonight in Texas.
The current Rangers roster is batting .259 against Cole in 93 PA with a .349 wOBA, a 35.5% K rate, and a .438 xSLG. On the season, against right-handed pitching, the Rangers have a 124 wRC+, a 4.4 WAR, a .191 ISO, a .310 BABIP, and a 22% K rate. At home, their wRC+, ISO, and BABIP are all higher.
As I mentioned earlier, the Yankees are dealing with injuries, and because of some injuries to their lineup and overall just poor roster construction, the Yankees are not as scary as they would seem. To make matters worse, they see a lefty tonight, and the Yankees have not done great against left-handed pitching this season.
Andrew Heaney will take the mound for the Rangers tonight at home. In Heaney’s last start, he allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts. In four starts, Heaney is 2-1 with a 4.34 ERA, a 4.35 FIP, a 9.64 K/9, and a .292 BABIP. The current Yankees roster is batting .261 against Heaney in 76 PA with a .317 wOBA, a 25% K rate, and a .464 xSLG. Good numbers, but based on how this offense is doing, I am not impressed by these past stats.
On the season, the Yankees have an 89 wRC+ against lefties, a .109 ISO, a .200 batting average, and a .3 WAR. Without Stanton in the middle of this lineup, this Yankees offense is not scary whatsoever.
It’s not time to sound the alarm on the Yankees by any means, but at the same time, they are not a great baseball team either. Give me the home underdog at +160.
Prediction: Rangers moneyline +160 (WynnBet)
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