Guardians vs. Yankees Game Picks & Predictions

Thursday night features an American League divisional battle as the Cleveland Guardians (0-1) take on the New York Yankees (1-0). New York will host this one at Yankee Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 7:38 pm ET. Here are all the details for your betting.

New York took the opener on Tuesday 4-1. In the win, Gerrit Cole pitched 6.1 innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out eight. Harrison Bader and Anthony Rizzo homered in the victory.

Cal Quantrill took the loss for Cleveland after giving up four runs (three earned) in five innings. Steven Kwan homered for the Guardians, but the offense couldn’t take advantage of their opportunities, including leaving the bases loaded early in the game.

American League: Guardians vs. Yankees Game

The Yankees open as the favorite Thursday playing at home. They are -134 to win, while the Guardians’ moneyline sits at +116. The runline features Cleveland +1.5 (-220), and the over/under for total runs is 6.5.

Cleveland Looks To Ace To Tie Up Series

The Cleveland Guardians know they need to take Thursday night’s matchup if they have a chance of taking this series. Luckily for them, they will have their ace, Shane Bieber, on the mound.

In 31 games this regular season, he was 13-8 with a 2.88 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and he had 198 strikeouts in 198 innings.

In the Guardians first playoff game against the Rays this postseason, Bieber dominated. He went 7.2 innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out eight.

The Guardians’ best hitter this season has been All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez. In 601 at-bats this year, he hit .280/.355/.514 with 29 home runs, 126 runs batted in, 90 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases.

Yankees Look To Nestor To Take Dominant 2-0 Lead

The Yankees have been absolutely dominant at home this season, as they were 57-24 during the regular season. Thursday’s starter Nestor Cortes was also dominant at home.

In fact, in 15 home starts this year, he went 6-1 with a 1.95 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and he had 89 strikeouts in 87.2 innings. The Yankees will look to use his home dominance to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the ALDS.

Cortes comes into this one having won back-to-back starts against the Red Sox and Orioles. In his last 13.1 innings, he has not allowed a run, allowed just two hits, and he struck out 17.

While he had a quiet night in the opener, Aaron Judge still looms as the Yankees’ biggest offensive threat. In 570 regular season at-bats, he hit .311/.425/.686 with an American League record 62 home runs. He also had 131 runs batted in, 133 runs, and 16 stolen bases.

Take Guardians To Tie Series

This one is a tough one to call. On the one hand, the Yankees and Nestor Cortes have dominated at home. On the other hand, Shane Bieber showed in his first start of the postseason that he is ready to dominate.

While this game could easily go either way, this one comes down to where there is more value, and that is with the Guardians.

They have been on an absolute roll to end the season and to start the postseason, and with Shane Bieber on the mound in what could be a must-win, you have to like their chances to pull this one out on the road.

Take Shane Bieber and the Guardians to win straight up at +116.