It’s just how the script writers drew it up: Red Sox vs. Yankees. Game 3. Everything on the line in a do-or-die matchup.
The stakes are high, and the lights are shining bright in this epic postseason clash. Naturally, when these two rivals meet, it draws plenty of attention from bettors. Before the start of Thursday’s contest, let’s take a closer look at what picks and player props the public is backing tonight.
The Yankees are favored (-163) over the Red Sox on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs.
Betting Splits
Unsurprisingly, the Yankees are commanding a larger share of the handle and total bets on the moneyline. Still, a 57% and 60% gap, respectively, isn’t the largest disparity. Boston enters tonight as +133 road dogs. These somewhat close odds reflect the uncertain nature of tonight’s matchup Each side will be sending out rookie starters; Cam Schlittler for New York and Connelly Early for Boston.
Things look a bit more balanced when assessing the spread. The Pinstripes, as -1.5 favorites, are attracting 62% of the handle compared to 38% for the Sox. That number becomes a near-even 51%/49% split in terms of total bets. New York is 47-28 ATS as home favorites this season.
Unsurprisingly, October has been low-scoring across the league. Other than the brief Reds-Dodgers series, no games have gone over on the run total so far. That’s surprising in this case, as Red Sox-Yankees traditionally features plenty of power. Thursday’s over/under is currently set at 7.5 runs. 61% of the handle is expecting more low-scoring action. However, 62% of all bets are anticipating at least eight runs tonight.
Most Popular Player Props
Here are the top five most-bet player props for tonight’s game:
- Aaron Judge 1+ home runs (+255)
- Giancarlo Stanton 1+ home runs (+339)
- Cody Bellinger 1+ home runs (+620)
- Connelly Early 5+ strikeouts thrown (+172)
- Alex Bregman 1+ home runs (+585)
Naturally, the most popular player prop tonight revolves around Aaron Judge. New York’s captain has gotten off to a solid start this postseason, notching four hits in eight at-bats. During the regular season, he slashed .331/.457/.688 with 53 homers and 114 RBIs. Is the prolific slugger due for his first playoff dinger? It won’t be easy tonight against a left-hander with wipeout stuff such as Connelly Early (more on him later). Regardless, the future Hall of Famer seems due for a signature October moment.
Although Judge has been producing, not all of his teammates can say the same. That includes Giancarlo Stanton, last season’s playoff producer for the Yankees. It’s been a different story in 2025 for Big G. The 35-year-old has gone hitless through his first two postseason games vs. Boston. However, Stanton could find success against a southpaw such as Early tonight. The designated hitter notched a 158 wRC+ this season vs. southpaws. That’s the 18th-best mark in baseball among hitters with at least 60 at-bats.
Speaking of former MVPs, New York is hoping that Cody Bellinger gets going. The outfielder hasn’t been bad through two games, although he’s come up short with runners on base. Still, after a terrific regular season, expectations are high for the 30-year-old. A matchup with a left-hander isn’t ideal. However, Boston manager Alex Cora will likely turn to his bullpen early (no pun intended). Bellinger has yet to hit a home run in 14 meetings with the Red Sox this season.
For the visitors, Early will have a massive amount of pressure on his shoulders. After pulling Brayan Bello in the third inning last night, there’s no telling what Cora will do. Still, Boston’s talented rookie has shown flashes of greatness. Through four starts, he’s allowed just five earned runs while striking out 29 batters (2.33 ERA). Against the left-handed power of New York, there could be plenty of whiffs.
This Red Sox lineup is not the most intimidating, due in part to an injury to Roman Anthony. That means the team’s veterans will have to pick up the slack. One player that’s familiar with this kind of environment is Alex Bregman. The former Astros third baseman has an extensive postseason history with New York. In addition, the three-time All-Star has recorded a .504 slugging percentage on the road this year. In a must-win moment, Boston’s most experienced hitter could take one deep.
