New York Yankees (38-24) @ Los Angeles Angels (34-34)
Start Time: 03:05 BST (Live on BT ESPN)
Opening Lines: Yankees 1.79, Total – O/U 8.0
RECENT FORM
A year is a long time in baseball. At this juncture last year the Yankees were 31-31 and struggling in 4th place of the AL East. Fast forward to the current day and the Yankees are currently surging, with a 2.5 game divisional lead over their great rivals the Boston Red Sox. Despite being perennially a popular bet public team in recent seasons the Yanks have posted a profitable +12.6 units to aid their backers this year. The New York club is averaging a healthy balance of 5.81 Runs For and giving up an average of 3.94. The Over has cashed in over 57% of the Yankees games this season.
Prior to last night’s 3-2 defeat to tonight’s opposition , the Yankees were in the middle of a 6 game winning streak. In their last 10 games the New York club are an impressive 7-3 SU.
To say the least the Angels have been been a hard team to get a read on this season. The Astros have run away with the AL East thus far, but the Angels have put themselves very much in contention for a Wild Card spot heading towards the All Star break. Even with the short term loss of superstar Mike Trout to the short term DL list, the Angels have managed to keep things ticking over of late. The Angles have averaged 4.22 Runs For with 4.26 Runs Against. The Anaheim club have rewarded Under backers on plentiful occasions this season hitting the lower number on 55.6% of occasions, the third highest in the league behind the Indians and the Rockies.
Tonight’s game in Anaheim marks the rubber game in the series with one win apiece from the last two night’s action.
Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker will hope that his recent strong form at home will continue tonight.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Yankees RH Michael Pineda (7-3, 3.39 ERA) vs. Angels RH Matt Shoemaker (6-3, 4.22)
After a slow start to his career in a Pinstripe uniform, Michael Pineda is finally justifying the hype. The Yankees gave up a lot to get Pineda from Seattle, and the payoff has arrived in spades in recent times. ‘Big Mike’ recovered from a tough start against Toronto previously with a lights out performance against the Red Sox last Thursday. Holding the Boston club to one unearned run in a 9-1 Yankees victory, Pineda had his full arsenal of pitches on show. The 28th year old recorded his fourth win in five starts. Pineda has squared off against the Angels twice before posting a 1-1 record with a 7.5 ERA.
Home is where the heart is for Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker. The right hander has been lights out of late on his home mound in Angel Stadium, posting a 6-1 record with a 1.96 ERA in his last 7 home games. Shoemaker has won his past two starts including a 9-4 win over the division leading Astros down in Houston last week. Impressively he also leads his team with 67 strikeouts on the season. Shoemaker’s form in recent times against the Yankees has not been so hot, losing against the Bronx Bombers in both of his starts.
Yankees rookie right fielder Aaron Judge is breaking numerous records these days.
KEY PLAYERS
A shoe in for rookie of the year, Aaron Judge is now undoubtedly in the running for player of the year. Despite going 0 for 4 in Angel stadium last night the young outfielder has had a week to remember. In a blowout 14-3 victory against the Orioles on Sunday, the 25-year-old finished the game a perfect 4-for-4 with two home runs and two RBIs. The latter long ball gave Judge 21 on the season , the most by a Yankee player before the All Star break since Roger Maris in 1960. Even for a storied franchise like the Yankees, more records are in jeopardy as Judge shows no sign of slowing down.
With a total of 3 Home Runs in as many seasons, not much was expected of journeyman Outfielder Eric Young Jr when he was called up on May 29th to replace an injured Mike Trout. In the space of two weeks Young Jr has equalled that Home Run number giving him 6 in total in his career. His most recent Long Ball last night at the bottom of the eight sent the game to extra innings. The outfielders next time up at the plate resulted in even more drama as he lined a single off Yankees reliever Ben Heller to secure the Angels a walk off win. With Trout’s return imminent over the coming days Young Jr is doing his utmost to earn a spot on the roster going into the summer.
Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez (24) provides plenty of power at the plate.
LINE MOVEMENT
Having opened at 1.79 , the Yankees have been backed into 1.74 at the time of publishing. The line is unlikely to get much shorter than this prior to the naming of the starting lineups.
After opening at 8.0, the total headed south to 7.5 throughout the day and settled there at the time of publishing, with the Over on this number slightly favoured.
NOTABLE BETTING TRENDS
- Yankees are 9-2 SU in Pinedas last 11 starts.
- Yankees are 5-2 SU in Pinedas last 7 starts vs. American League West.
- Angels are 9-1 SU in Shoemakers last 10 home starts.
- Angels are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games following a win.
- Under is 4-0 in Yankees last 4 road games.
- Over is 4-1 in Pinedas last 5 starts overall.
- Over is 7-1-1 in Shoemakers last 9 home starts.
- Over is 4-1 in Shoemakers last 5 starts overall.
- Under is 10-1-2 in the last 13 meetings.
- Yankees are 19-7 SU in the last 26 meetings.
UMPIRE TRENDS – GERRY DAVIS
- Home team is 8-2 SU in Davis’ last 10 games behind home plate.
- Under is 7-2-1 in Davis’ last 10 games behind home plate.
- Yankees are 2-7 SU in their last 9 games with Davis behind home plate.
