MLB Odds - Houston Astros at New York Yankees Live Betting Preview

It’s going to be a bittersweet day in the Bronx Monday afternoon when the Yankees stare across the diamond and see the Astros in the opposing dugout since it was Houston that ended their season in the AL play-in game last season. They’ll be looking to change the overall result this time around even though the exact pitching match-up will take to the field.

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PITCHING MATCHUP

What an unbelievable unfathomed season it was in 2015 for Dallas Keuchel who mesmerized opposing batters to the tune of a 2.48 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and .217 batting average against en route to securing the AL Cy Young Award.

Many are calling for a repeat performance for the 28-year old, as his game is more about command and keeping the opposition guessing more than overpowering them with the heat. Though Keuchel did most of his damage in the comforts of Minute Maid Park where he went an insane 15-0, he still logged a 3.77 ERA on the road, and has only conceded 10 hits and 3 ER over the course of 15 combined innings pitched at Yankees Stadium.

It was thought Masahiro Tanaka was going to need to go under the knife to correct the ailment in his throwing arm a couple year’s back. Instead he opted for rest and strengthening of the ligaments. While many questioned that train of thought, the righty was able to make 24 starts a season ago and rack up 154 innings of work.

While his strikeouts were slightly down, he still managed to go 12-7 and pitch to a 3.51 ERA and 0.99 ERA. His impeccable control could come in handy here against an Astros lineup that makes you pay with its speed if you allow the 1-5 batters to get on base.

ADVANCED STATS

Neither of these clubs hit for high batting averages last season. While the Yankees weren’t as prone to the strikeout as the Astros with the club logging the second most in the league, each was able to hurt opposing pitchers with the long ball.

New York launched the fourth most home runs into the cheap seats, while Houston checked in at No. 2 with 230 of its own. The Yanks plated the second most runs in the league, while the Astros ranked No. 6 in scoring 4.5 per game.

Whichever of these teams finds a way to scratch a couple runs across the plate early will hold a major leg up in taking this season opener. Houston pulled off that feat immediately in the play-in game tallying single runs in the second and fourth innings en route to pulling out the 3-0 win that pushed them into the ALDS.

TALKING BULLPENS

What once looked to be one of the more dominating back ends in all of baseball took a major turn for the worse over the last couple weeks with Aroldis Chapman suspended the first month of the season and Andrew Miller being unable to escape the injury bug after taking a line drive off his wrist that has some forecasting an extended stay on the disabled list.

Should Tanaka struggle like he did in a pair of starts versus the Astros last season in allowing 11 hits and 8 ERs with a K/BB ratio of 5:5, the Yankees will have loads of issues keeping up on the scoreboard with the team’s middle relief nowhere near as good as what its backend was supposed to be.

Keuchel was simply filthy versus the Yanks murderer’s row of long ball specialists last season in not giving up a single earned run over 22 total innings of work. If Tanaka looks to be laboring in the middle innings if he gets there, look to live bet Houston immediately on the readjusted live betting line.

If NY has to call upon its middle relief early, look for Houston to cover the run-line with ease and cash even more readjusted run-line prices in live betting as well.

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Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The game between the Houston Astros and New York Yankees will start at 1:05 p.m. ET on Monday, April 4, 2016 at Yankee Stadium. You can watch the contest live on ESPN.