Moneyline pick for Yankees vs Astros in Game 1 of ALCS

The New York Yankees and Houston Astros will meet in the American League Championship Series for the third time in six seasons beginning tonight from Houston’s Minute Maid Park. The Astros swept the Mariners in the ALDS and have been lying in wait for their ALCS opponent since Saturday. The Yanks captured a winner-take-all Game 5 versus the Guardians on Tuesday night to advance and then hopped on a plane to Houston after a short celebration. Will the rest benefit the Astros, or will the Yankees carry their momentum into a Game 1 upset? Let’s take a look at this game’s moneyline from DraftKings Sportsbook and make a pick.

Yankees vs Astros Game 1 moneyline odds

NYY: +170
HOU: -200

The Yankees will see presumptive AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander in Game 1. It will be his ninth postseason start against New York; he’s recorded a 2.75 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP and a .191 opponents’ batting average over 52.1 innings against them in his eight previous starts. Verlander got hit around by Seattle in Game 1 of the Division Series last week, but you have to give the Astros the clear pitching edge in this matchup. The Yankees will counter with their No. 4 starter, Jameson Taillon, whom Houston got to for six runs on 10 hits back in June. The key for Verlander will be keeping Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the park. Those two have homered three times in 25 at-bats versus the Astros’ workhorse, but they are batting just .160 against him with 10 strikeouts. Besides the advantage on the mound, the Astros’ lineup is deeper. Their fantastic bullpen is fully rested. They have the homefield advantage. There’s no value in it, but the home team is the easy choice here.

Pick: HOU -200