This Week: 3-1, +2.03u
*MLB(1u): Yankees F5 ML(-110) @ Athletics–8:40 PM CT
These teams couldn’t be on more opposite trajectories right now. The Yankees enter tonight’s game on an 11 game win streak, while the A’s have dropped 8 of their last 10. The Yankees’ bats have started to heat up, and I’ve reached the point where I’m willing to trust them. Oakland SP James Kaprielian has had a solid rookie campaign(3.25 ERA, 1.17 WHIP), but I’m not as high on him as other handicappers are. His FIP is nearly a full point higher than his ERA, and he’s allowed 1.2 HR/9 this season. Those numbers will play well against most teams, but this Yankees lineup has the ability to expose him tonight. Most importantly, being a rookie, Kaprielian doesn’t have the experience pitching meaningful games late in the season. Yankees SP Jameson Taillon has really turned things around in the second half of the season and draws a favorable matchup with an A’s lineup that has scored just 27 runs in their last 10 games. Taillon has had his struggles on the road, but Oakland’s ballpark dimensions tend to favor the pitcher, and the wind won’t be a major factor tonight. I hesitate to play the Yankees full game because these bullpens are equally reliable, but I give the edge early in this game to the hottest team in baseball with the more established pitcher.
