Justin Verlander will get the start for the Astros (77-58, 35-31 home) as they host the Yankees (65-69, 29-36 away) at Minute Maid Park. The Yankees will give the starting nod to Carlos Rodón. Check out my prediction for game one of this American League matchup between the New York Yankees and Houston Astros.

NEW YORK YANKEES VS HOUSTON ASTROS BETTING PICK

The Pick: New York Yankees +158

This game will be played at Minute Maid Park at 8:10 ET on Friday, September 1st.

WHY BET THE NEW YORK YANKEES:

  • Over their last five games on the road, New York has a straight-up record of 3-2.
  • The Astros come into this matchup on a two game home losing streak.
  • Over his last two starts, Carlos Rodón has an ERA of just 2.68.

NEW YORK YANKEES SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

For the season, the Yankees have put together a record of 65-69 and are 5th in the AL East, putting them 18.5 games out of first place. New York’s overall series record sits at 16-20-7. On the road, they have gone 29-36 and 36-33 at home.

Entering the season with a 1-4 record, Carlos Rodón is making his ninth appearance of the year. His ERA stands at 5.97 and opponents are batting .224 against him. On the road, he has an 0-2 record and a 7.84 ERA, while at home he’s 1-2 with a 6.47 ERA. Overall, teams have a slugging percentage of .456 against him this season.

In Carlos Rodón’s most recent outing, the Yankees’ left-hander tossed 4 2/3 frames against the Rays, yielding two runs on four hits but ultimately taking a no-decision in the 7-4 loss.

Offensively, New York is ranked 21st in the league with an average of 4.2 runs per game. When looking over their last five matchups, the Yankees averaged 4.2 runs per contest, which is 10th best in that span. In terms of their power numbers, New York is 5th in all of baseball, with a total of 190 home runs.

The Yankees have been fortunate to have Gleyber Torres in their lineup this season. His .270 batting average has resulted in 57 runs batted in, and he has also hit 23 home runs.

WILL THE HOUSTON ASTROS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Throughout the season, the Astros have taken advantage of playing at home, posting a series record of 10-9 at Minute Maid Park. Their overall record of 77-58 puts Houston 2nd in the AL West. Against the runline, their overall record is 69-66 and 29-37 at home. This year’s Astros’ games have an over/under record of 70-62.

Justin Verlander has had a successful season thus far, boasting a 10-6 record and 3.06 ERA. On the road, he has gone 4-3 with an ERA of 4.56, while at home he is 6-3 with an ERA of 2.51. His WHIP stands at 1.17 and opponents are batting .224 against him, with a slugging percentage of .349.

In his most recent start, Justin Verlander shut down the Tigers, allowing no runs on two hits and earning the victory as the Astros cruised to a 17-4 win.

For the season, the Astros’ offense is averaging 5.1 runs per game. Over their last ten games they have swung the bats well, sitting 1st in the league in scoring, with a total of 75 runs. Overall, Houston’s team batting average is .258, putting them 6th in the MLB.

Alex Bregman has been a key contributor to the Astros’ offensive success this season, boasting a .266 batting average and .449 slugging percentage. In the team’s last ten games, Bregman has been on fire, leading Houston in hits with an impressive .378 batting average.