The New York Yankees are 8-1 in their last nine home games against the Boston Red Sox, including a current streak of four straight home wins. The Yankees will try to keep things rolling against their hated rivals in a three-game series starting Friday in New York.
- Date/Time: July 31, 7:05 p.m. ET
- Stadium: Yankee Stadium
- TV Coverage: (None)
- Sportsbook Odds: Yankees -181 | O/U 10.5 runs (Line History)
- Red Sox vs Yankees Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Sportsbook line to this matchup had the Yankees as an even bigger home favorite over the Red Sox, going off at -222 in New York. But action on the underdog has driven Boston down to +171 odds while the Yankees are now a -181 home favorite. The total has also moved half a point from 11 runs down to 10.5 runs.
Starting Pitchers Analysis
Jordan Montgomery enjoyed an impressive rookie season with the Yankees in 2017 when he recorded a 9-7 record with a 3.88 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 144 strikeouts in 155.1 innings. Montgomery has pitched in only eight games since after requiring Tommy John surgery in 2018. He will be making his long-awaited return to the rotation on Friday.
Ryan Weber pitched out of the bullpen for the Red Sox in 2019, appearing in 18 games with a 5.09 ERA and 1.38 WHIP. His first start in 2020 did not go well as he surrendered six earned runs in 3.2 innings against the Baltimore Orioles.
Boston News & Notes
After losing both games of a two-game series at home against the New York Mets, the Red Sox turned around and won both games in a two-game road series against the Mets. The Red Sox now enter this road series against the Yankees with a 1-4 SU record at home and a 2-0 record on the road.
Boston couldn’t have won those two games against New York without the red-hot bat of catcher Christian Vazquez. Vazquez went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs on Wednesday and then 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs on Thursday, driving in six of the 10 runs Boston scored in those two games. He leads the team in home runs (4), RBIs (8) and batting average (.421) through the Red Sox’ first seven games.
New York News & Notes
The Yankees opened the season last weekend by taking two of three games against the defending champion Washington Nationals. This week, New York has had four games against the Philadelphia Phillies postponed as the Phillies deal with a COVID-19 outbreak.
New York’s two home games against Philadelphia on Wednesday and Thursday were replaced by home games against Baltimore; the Yankees won those two games 9-3 and 8-6.
Zack Britton has stepped in for the first two save opportunities of the season for the Yankees as closer Aroldis Chapman is sidelined with COVID-19. Giancarlo Stanton is batting .500 out of the gate with two home runs and six RBIs through his first 16 at-bats of 2020.
Betting Pick: Yankees -171
It’s difficult to imagine a scenario in which Ryan Weber lasts very long against this high-powered Yankees offense. New York and Boston have had some exciting slugging exhibitions in recent years, but this current Red Sox lineup won’t be able to keep up.
- Aaron Judge has a career batting average of .270 in the month of July.
- Boston is 5-14 in its last 19 games against New York.
- The total has gone OVER in 10 of New York’s last 15 games against Boston.
