Yankees at Red Sox
O/U 8 · RL Red Sox -1.5 · Fenway Park
Yankees ML-104
CONF 65%
LLostFinal 4-5
The read
Tonight under the bright lights of Fenway Park, the historic rivalry between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox resumes for a high-stakes Sunday Night Baseball showdown. The Red Sox enter searching for a rare four-game series sweep, but the betting market is overpaying for Sonny Gray's shiny 2.95 ERA, which sits on a fragile foundation. Gray’s 3.80 xERA signals that his surface-level success is vulnerable, and he faces a structural nightmare tonight. The Yankees are starting seven left-handed or switch-hitters, directly targeting Gray’s notable struggle against lefties, who have hit him for a .741 OPS and six of his nine home runs this season. Furthermore, Gray is a ground-ball-leaning pitcher (1.19 GO/AO) who must rely on a patchwork Boston infield missing key defenders Trevor Story, Marcelo Mayer, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, forcing inexperienced call-ups into high-pressure defensive roles.
The obvious counter-argument is New York's current offensive slump, having scored only five runs in the first three games of this series while missing the elite power of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. However, these absences are established news and already fully baked into this near-even -104 price. The Yankees (48-34) are in an ultimate desperation, avoid-the-sweep spot, needing to salvage the finale to keep their share of first place in the AL East, whereas the Red Sox remain ten games under .500 at home this season (15-25). Carlos Rodón’s underlying numbers are completely stable (3.70 ERA vs. 3.83 xERA), and his elite strikeout capability (10.1 K/9) is perfectly suited to neutralize Boston's aggressive hitters in this environment.
If this game remains close in the late innings, the bullpen freshness advantage heavily tilts to the Bronx. Yankees high-leverage relievers David Bednar and Fernando Cruz are completely rested and have not appeared in this series, while Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman is heavily taxed, having thrown 43 pitches since June 25, including a save last night. Trust the desperate, superior team to avoid the sweep and back the Yankees at a bargain price.
Injuries noted
Red Sox: [NEW] Jovani Moran (RP) — Elbow (Left): Moran (elbow) will make at least one more rehab appearance before being activated, MLB.com reports. (Jun 27 — 1d ago) [NEW] Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2B) — Forearm (Left): Kiner-Falefa underwent a CT scan on his left forearm Thursday which revealed a stress reaction, MLB.com reports. (Jun 27 — 1d ago) [NEW] Marcelo Mayer (2B) — Forearm (Left): The Red Sox placed Mayer on the 10-day injured list Friday with a stress reaction in his left forearm, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports. (Jun 26 — 1d ago) [KNOWN] Roman Anthony (LF) — Finger (Right): Interim manager Chad Tracy said Wednesday that Anthony (finger/wrist) hasn't made any substantive progress in his recovery back in Boston since the Red Sox began their road trip last weekend, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports. (Jun 24 — 4d ago) [KNOWN] Garrett Crochet (Starting Pitcher) — Shoulder (Left): Crochet (shoulder/lat) has not yet been cleared to resume a throwing program following a scheduled re-evaluation Monday, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports. (Jun 22 — 5d ago) [KNOWN] Trevor Story (SS) — Abdomen (Not Specified): Story (abdomen) has begun jogging and swinging off a tee, MLB.com reports. (Jun 20 — 8d ago) [KNOWN] Nick Sogard (3B) — Oblique (Right): Sogard (oblique) told reporters Friday that he plans to start swinging a bat Monday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports. (Jun 12 — 15d ago) [NEW] Luis Guerrero (Relief Pitcher) — Not Injury Related (Not Specified): The Rays acquired Guerrero from the Red Sox on Tuesday in exchange for Tristan Gray. (Jun 25 — 3d ago) [KNOWN] Johan Oviedo (Starting Pitcher) — Elbow (Right): Oviedo (elbow) will be reevaluated by Dr. Keith Meister in two weeks to determine his progress, Marcos Grunfeld of ElEmergente.com reports. (May 8 — 51d ago) Yankees: [NEW] Trent Grisham (CF) — Hamstring (Right): Manager Aaron Boone said Saturday that Grisham (hamstring) is expected to return from the injured list during New York's upcoming homestand, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports. (Jun 27 — 1d ago) [KNOWN] Ryan McMahon (3B) — Illness (Not Specified): The Yankees placed McMahon on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a throat infection. (Jun 24 — 4d ago) [KNOWN] Max Fried (SP) — Elbow (Left): Manager Aaron Boone said Saturday that Fried (elbow) is expected to begin facing hitters by late June or early July, Erik Boland of Newsday reports. (Jun 20 — 8d ago) [KNOWN] Giancarlo Stanton (Designated Hitter) — Calf (Right): The Yankees announced that Stanton (calf) reinjured his calf and will have a slow week of activities, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. (Jun 16 — 12d ago) [KNOWN] Aaron Judge (RF) — Ribs (Right): The Yankees announced Thursday that Judge has a stress fracture of his first rib on his right side and will be sidelined for 4-to-6 weeks before being re-evaluated, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. (Jun 5 — 23d ago)
Props on this game
3Ben RiceUNDER 1.5 H+R+RBI H+R+RBI+110
WActual 0
Ben Rice has hit a wall during the Yankees' 'June Swoon,' failing to record a multi-hit game in four of his last five outings. Tonight, he faces a daunting matchup against Sonny Gray, who has been arguably the most consistent starter in the American League this season with a 9-1 record.
Gray is a ground-ball-leaning pitcher (1.19 GO/AO) who excels at neutralizing fly-ball power hitters like Rice. The environmental factors at Fenway Park further suppress Rice's production; with a 6 mph wind blowing in from right field, his primary power alley is effectively neutralized.
Given that the Yankees as a team have managed only six hits total over their last 18 innings, the likelihood of Rice accumulating runs or RBIs via his teammates is exceptionally low. At +110, the value on a player in a deep slump facing an ace in pitcher-friendly conditions is significant.
Spencer JonesUNDER 1.5 H+R+RBI H+R+RBI-160
WActual 0
Spencer Jones continues to struggle with high-velocity and elite-breaking stuff, making this matchup against Sonny Gray particularly problematic. Jones has remained under the 1.5 hits-runs-rbis threshold in each of his last five games, recording just two hits total in that span.
Batting in the middle of a depleted Yankees order, he lacks the protection of Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton, allowing Gray to attack him with high-leverage sequences. The Yankees' offensive efficiency has cratered, averaging just 2.5 runs per game over their last 10, which limits the opportunities for Jones to reach this total through runs scored or RBIs even if he manages a single hit.
Facing a pitcher who is 7-0 since returning from the IL and thrives in night games at Fenway (2.68 ERA), Jones's path to multiple production points is extremely narrow.
Ben RiceOVER 0.5 Home Runs Home Runs+400
LActual 0
Ben Rice has established himself as a premier power threat against right-handed pitching, which he faces tonight in Sonny Gray. Rice's splits are stark; 17 of his 22 home runs and nearly all of his elite production (.293 AVG, 1.044 OPS) have come against righties. While Gray is a formidable opponent, Rice's season-long HR rate suggests he has a roughly 27% chance of homering in a standard 4-plate appearance game, which provides significant value against the +400 price (20% implied probability). Despite a recent cold stretch, his underlying power metrics remain intact, and in a high-leverage Sunday Night Baseball environment, he is the most likely Yankee to provide the spark they've been missing.
Every pick posts before the game and is graded after, in public. In the app you can ride or fade any of them, and your book keeps score against Gary's.
Download on the App Store