Tuesday, September 22, 2020, Sahlen Field, Buffalo, New York, 6:37 p.m. ET
Yankees at Red Sox Betting Preview: Yankees (-250), Red Sox (+210)
New York Yankees
The Yankees (31-23) have clinched a playoff berth, but their preference would be to get the fourth seed, which gives them all home games in the first round, especially since they are 10-16 on the road heading into their Tuesday game against Toronto.
New York’s road ERA is 5.21 compared to its 3.53 mark at home. The Yankees hope to get another strong outing from Gerrit Cole (6-3, 3.00 ERA), who is 2-2 with a 4.28 ERA five road starts this season.
Cole is coming off two straight stellar outings that followed a three-game losing streak. He beat Toronto in New York on Wednesday when he allowed one run in seven innings of a 13-2 romp.
Cole pitched to catcher Kyle Higashioka last week and likely will do so again. Cole’s ERA in 46 innings throwing to Gary Sanchez is 3.91 and his ERA in 20 innings pitching to Higashioka is 0.90.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays (28-26) would not get any home games in the postseason since they likely will be eighth in the AL, but they are hoping to get another strong showing Tuesday against the Yankees.
Toronto is seeking its third straight win following an ugly six-game skid. The Blue Jays opened the series with a 11-5 win on Monday as rookie catcher Alejandro Kirk went 4-for-4, homered and scored three runs.
Tanner Roark (2-2, 6.41 ERA) will face the Yankees for the third straight time. The first two starts were brief, as he allowed a combined eight runs on eight hits — six of them homers — in eight innings. Roark hasn’t recorded an out in the sixth inning all year.
Yankees at Blue Jays Betting Pick for September 22, 2020
Based on last week, this is a pitching mismatch, and with Cole trending in the right direction following three straight losses, the Yankees should win this even if it’s not a rout like last time.
Yankees at Blue Jays Betting Pick:
Yankees 9, Blue Jays 5
Yankees at Blue Jays Best Bet for September 22, 2020
There are very few low-scoring games in Buffalo, and Monday’s game marked the 11th time in 20 games at least 10 combined runs were scored there. Cole should help keep that number down, but the teams’ offenses are potent enough to combine for double-digit scoring.
Yankees at Red Sox Best Bet: OVER 10 total runs (-103)
–Field Level Media
