Astros Heavy -170 Favorites Over Yankees In 2019 ALCS Series Price – Predictions & Best Bets
- The Houston Astros beat the Tampa Bay Rays in five games to win the division series
- New York Yankees hasn’t play since Game 3 of their series against the Twins on Monday
- Houston is a -170 favorite to advance to the World Series
The New York Yankees and the Houston Astros will face off in the American League Championship Series in a best of seven series.
Game 1 of the ALCS will be played Saturday October 12 at 8:08 pm EST in Houston. Houston is currently the heavy favorite in the AL pennant odds to win the series.
ALCS Series Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| New York Yankees | +130 |
| Houston Astros | -170 |
*Odds taken 10/11/19
Pitching Matchup
Neither team has yet to announce their starting pitcher for tomorrow night. But the Yankees started James Paxton in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Twins, as he struck out eight in 4.2 innings of work, in his postseason debut.
He allowed three runs, five hits, and one walk. Paxton’s season match up against the Astros this year included two starts in which he went 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA.
Big game … Big Maple 🍁 #NextManUp pic.twitter.com/86XVNaM6EM
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 3, 2019
Zack Greinke is the expected pitcher for the Astros despite getting lit up in Game 3 against the Rays. Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole pitched in Game 4 and 5 of the ALDS, so it’s very unlikely to be either of them.
Greinke’s season matchup against the Yankees this year came while still with the Diamondbacks. He recorded a 2.13 ERA, 0.87 WHIP in 12.2 innings of work.
Head-to-Head
Houston and the Yankees have played each other seven times this season with the Astros winning the season series 4-3. Both teams were pretty banged up when they met right before the All-Star break, but both teams are as healthy as they can be for October baseball.
Both teams have experienced pretty significant roster turnover since their 2017 postseason matchup, making it tough to reference when discussing this years ALCS.
This season, the Astros have been able to rely on their workhorse starting pitchers, and the Yankees have been able to secure wins with their deep bullpen.
Who Has the Edge?
The Astros have the opportunity to arguably become the best team of this decade, and the Yankees are looking to end a 10-year World Series drought. There’s a lot of the line for this series. But the Astros have home field advantage, a notorious upper hand in baseball.
Going back to 2017 between the Yankees and the Astros, the home team won every game.
There’s not much the Yankees can’t do offensively. The depth of the Yankee’s lineup is undeniable, and although both are threats at the plate, the Yankees have the edge here.
Defensively, Both teams have gold glovers across their lineup, but with a tight infield and one of the best defensive outfields, the Astros have the edge here.
Aaron Boone has done a remarkable job as the Yankees manager, leading them to two straight 100-win seasons. But he’s gained negative attention for his management of the bullpen in the past.
AJ Hinch clearly has the upper hand. He has managed a team to a World Series, and is heading to the ALCS for a third year in a row. A heavy believer in analytics, he’s figured out what works for this team, and has the edge over Boone.
A graduate of Sport Media at Ryerson University, Hayley is the ultimate student of sports. Whether she is playing it, watching it, debating it, or writing it, it's safe to assume sport consumes the majority of her life. She has worked both internationally and with the NBA.
