The Yankees made major splashes at the deadline, shoring up their bullpen and depth issues. It all looked promising, but now New York is on a four-game losing streak with two losses thanks to bullpen issues yet again.
On the bright side, Aaron Judge returns tonight in the second game against the Rangers. He’s batting third and will DH until he’s ready to play the field again.
The Rangers defeated the Yankees 8-5 in the first game of this series on Monday. New York is a slight underdog in this game with +105 odds on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Rangers are -127 and the game total is set at over/under eight runs.
Here’s my prediction and pick for Tuesday’s Yankees vs. Rangers matchup.
Yankees vs. Rangers prediction
The Yankees are desperate to get back on track. The team has been without Judge for a few games, and the bullpen has imploded multiple times despite deadline acquisitions.
It’s concerning as the Red Sox surpassed the Yankees in the AL East standings. New York is built to win now, yet it’s failing to do so, and it may miss the playoffs if struggles continue.
Tonight’s matchup is against Nathan Eovaldi, who has been one of the league’s best pitchers. He’s thrown 103 innings, which is fewer than most top starters, but he has a 1.49 ERA and allowed just five home runs this season.
Meanwhile, Will Warren will start for the Yankees. He’s shown some flashes, including in his previous two starts, but he’s not nearly as solid as Eovaldi. What makes it more difficult is that Texas’ bats aren’t quiet. The team put up eight runs against the Yankees last night, and could do so again if the bullpen pitches similarly.
Warren can have an outstanding game, but it ultimately comes down to the Yankees’ bullpen. If the new additions show up (minus Jake Bird who was already optioned to AAA), the Yankees can end their four-game skid.
Yankees vs. Rangers pick, best bet
While the Yankees have been blowing leads lately, their offense has still be producing. It will be a more difficult challenge tonight against Eovaldi, but the Yankees can still tally a few runs.
Texas shouldn’t have much of an issue scoring runs against the Yankees, especially with the way the bullpen is pitching. Over eight runs at -115 odds seems like a no-brainer.