It has taken a long time to reach this point in the MLB season, but it is probably fair to suggest that the playoff picture is now starting to become very clear. To be fair, though, that is more so the case in the American League than it is in the National League, where there are still some serious divisional and Wild Card battles raging on unabated. There are some of those races that look set to be going down to the wire, but in the American League, the teams headed to the postseason appear to be pretty close to set in stone.
The one real score still to be settled in the AL is in the Central Division, where the Twins and Indians are separated by just 2 games. Both of those teams are likely to be playoff bound, it’s all just a matter of figuring out who wins the division and who goes to the Wild Card. The New York Yankees have all but clinched the East and will start the week with a series versus the Oakland A’s, a team still in the Wild Card hunt. The Yankees are favored by 1 ½, with the run total set at 9 ½.
Yankees vs Athletics MLB Lines & Expert Pick
- When: Tuesday, August 20 at 10:07 PM EST
- Where: Alameda Coliseum, Oakland
- Starting Pitchers: German vs. Bailey
- TV: ESPN
- Radio: SiriusXM
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- MLB Lines: New York Yankees -140 (Total 9.5)
Blue Jays vs Dodgers MLB Week 21 Odds & Game Preview
Weather Forecast
- Partly Cloudy: 20°C/68°F
- Humidity: 68%
- Precipitation: 4%
- Cloud Cover: 31%
- Wind: 14 mph W
- Stadium Type: Open
Why bet on the New York Yankees?
The New York Yankees come into this series with a stellar 83-42 record and a 10-game lead at the top of the AL East. The only question really left to be answered for them in the regular season is whether they will close it out with the best record in baseball, which looks to be a pretty decent bet at the moment. The Yankees are certainly not showing any indication that they are about to take their foot off the gas, going 7-3 in their last 10 games.
As good a bet as they have been straight up, the same cannot be said against the spread, as the Yankees are now on a 5-game run where they have failed to cover. As a road favorite this season, they are 23-19 ATS. It will be Domingo German (16-2, 3.96 ERA) who starts for the Yankees.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.94
- Hits: 9.34
- Walks: 3.63
- Strike Outs: 8.58
- Runs: 4.72
- Hits: 8.70
- Walks: 3.08
- Strike Outs: 9.15
Why bet on the Oakland A’s?
The Oakland A’s are still very much in the playoff hunt, sitting a single game out of the final Wild Card spot in the AL. While that is a decent spot to be in at this late stage of the season, their % chance of making the playoffs is sitting at just 34.8% ahead of this series, with that number potentially about to get worse if they cannot find a way to slow down the surging Yankees.
They have yet to face the Yankees this season and will have 6 games against them between now and the end of the season. On a positive note, Oakland are 6-1 SU in the last 7 games at home versus the Yankees. They will have Homer Bailey (10-8, 5.22 ERA) on the mound for this one.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.07
- Hits: 8.43
- Walks: 3.37
- Strike Outs: 8.12
- Runs: 4.28
- Hits: 8.30
- Walks: 3.08
- Strike Outs: 7.71
Giants vs Cubs MLB Spread, Game Info & Prediction
Yankees vs Athletics MLB Betting Trends
- Yankees are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games against Oakland
- The total has gone OVER in 11 of NY Yankees’ last 14 games on the road
- Athletics are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oakland’s last 7 games against an opponent in the American League
- Athletics are 17-11 against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season
- Yankees are 83-43 against the money line in all games this season
- German is 0-0 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 10.80 and a WHIP of 1.800
- Bailey is 2-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 4.42 and a WHIP of 1.255
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Yankees vs Athletics
Domingo German is coming into this game looking for his 8th consecutive win, which gives you just a small idea of how dominant he has been this season. The Yankees rarely lose when he is on the mound, so they look to be a great bet here.
Score: New York Yankees 7 – Oakland Athletics 2
