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Friday's MLB Division Series Betting Preview and Odds
Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros (-160, 8.5)
Astros lead series 1-0
Jose Altuve looks for another memorable performance as his Houston Astros vie for a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series on Friday afternoon against the visiting Boston Red Sox. Altuve, the AL batting champion three of the last four years, including 2017, launched three solo homers in the series opener on Thursday as the Astros posted an 8-2 victory after taking three of four at Boston to end the regular season.
Altuve went 10-for-24 with one blast against the Red Sox in the regular season on the way to a career-high .346 overall batting average, a .410 on-base percentage, 24 homers and 81 RBIs. Altuve is 7-for-17 with a double and a walk versus Boston’s scheduled starter Drew Pomeranz, who finished the regular season strong and will face 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel on Friday. Slugger Hanley Ramirez recorded a pair of hits in the opener after coming on when Eduardo Nunez suffered a knee injury, while Mookie Betts and Sandy Leon also notched two hits apiece as the Red Sox lost their fourth consecutive postseason contest after being swept by Cleveland in the last year's ALDS. Boston will need more from Dustin Pedroia, who went 0-for-3 with a walk on Thursday and was 3-for-36 to end the regular season while hampered by a lingering knee injury.
TV: 2:05 p.m. ET, FS1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Drew Pomeranz (17-6, 3.32 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (14-5, 2.90)
Pomeranz won three of his last four decisions during the regular season and gave up fewer than two runs in three of his final four appearances. The 28-year-old went 7-3 with a 3.19 ERA on the road this year and 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two starts against the Astros. Carlos Correa (3-for-5) and Jake Marisnick (4-for-12, two homers) have caused plenty of trouble for Pomeranz, who is 2-2 with a 3.69 ERA in 12 career games (seven starts) versus Houston.
Keuchel finished the regular season strong, limiting his final three opponents and seven of the last nine to fewer than three earned runs. The 29-year-old Tulsa native is 36-20 all-time at Minute Maid Park, including 6-2 with a 1.64 ERA this year, and went 2-0 there in the 2015 postseason. Ramirez is 2-for-2 while Betts and Xander Bogaerts each have homered versus Keuchel, who is 0-1 with a 9.88 ERA in three career appearances (two starts) against Boston.
TRENDS:
* Red Sox are 17-4 in Pomeranz's last 21 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
* Astros are 12-2 in their last 14 home games.
* Over is 11-2 in Astros' last 132 Divisional Playoff games.
* Under is 13-3 in Hernandez's last 16 games behind home plate.
CONSENSUS: The public is leaning toward the home favorite Astros with 65 percent of the picks and Over is grabbing 56 percent of the totals wagers.
New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians (-220, 7)
Indians lead series 1-0
The current ace of the Cleveland Indians faces a former one in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Friday as Corey Kluber gets the start opposite CC Sabathia and the visiting New York Yankees. Kluber, a prime candidate to pick up his second career AL Cy Young Award after leading the majors in ERA, will be eager to attack a Yankees lineup that was limited to three hits in Cleveland's series-opening 4-0 victory on Thursday.
Slugger Aaron Judge was 0-for-4 with four of New York's 14 strikeouts, while fellow right fielder Jay Bruce homered and drove in three of the Indians' four runs. Cleveland managed only five hits of its own but wore out Yankees right-hander Sonny Gray, who walked four and gave up three runs over 3 1/3 innings in the second straight poor start by a New York pitcher this postseason. Kluber was dominant in the playoffs a year ago, going 4-1 with a 1.83 ERA in six starts - including seven scoreless innings against Boston in his lone ALDS outing. Sabathia, who is 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 10 starts following a loss this year, registered 106 wins and claimed a Cy Young Award during his eight years with the Indians.
TV: 5 p.m. ET, MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (14-5, 3.69 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (18-4, 2.25)
Sabathia posted his best win total since 2013 and his lowest ERA since 2012 in a solid campaign that ended with victories in each of his final three starts. The 37-year-old will be making his first postseason appearance since giving up six runs and 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings of Game 4 of the 2012 AL Championship Series. Carlos Santana (10-for-19), Francisco Lindor (5-for-9) and Jose Ramirez (4-for-8) have enjoyed their encounters with Sabathia, who last faced the Indians on Aug. 6, 2016.
Kluber also led or tied for the lead in the AL in wins, complete games (five) and shutouts (three) while finishing the regular season by going 6-0 in his final seven starts. That run began with eight dominant innings at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 28, a performance that came less than four weeks after he registered 11 strikeouts in a complete-game home victory over New York. Several Yankees have dismal numbers against Kluber, including Todd Frazier (3-for-26, 10 strikeouts), Aaron Hicks (3-for-23, eight), Chase Headley (1-for-14), Didi Gregorius (2-for-13) and Starlin Castro (2-for-12).
TRENDS:
* Yankees are 0-4 in their last 4 playoff road games.
* Indians are 5-0 in Klubers last 5 starts vs. Yankees.
* Under is 5-0 in Yankees last 5 Divisional Playoff games.
* Under is 5-1 in Indians last 6 overall.
Chicago Cubs at Washington Nationals (-160, 7)
Series tied 0-0
The man who took the ball to start the Chicago Cubs’ World Series clincher gets it again Friday. The Cubs send Kyle Hendricks to the mound opposite fellow right-hander Stephen Strasburg when visiting Chicago begins its quest for another crown in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals.
The Cubs are trying to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000, and only one team since then - the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies - have returned to the World Series the year after winning. "There was maybe a little more pressure last year because you feel the weight of 108 years on your shoulders,” Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant told reporters. “This year, it's not like it's different, we're here for one reason - we want to win the whole thing. Regardless if we won it last year or 108 years ago, it doesn't matter to us." Now it’s the Nationals who are trying to get over the hump after being knocked out in the NLDS three times in the past five seasons. The franchise has not won a postseason series since it was in Montreal in 1981.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52)
Hendricks struggled early in the season, but he has posted an NL-best 2.19 ERA since returning from a hand injury July 24. The 27-year-old has allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of his 13 starts over that stretch, but he gave up three runs over seven innings in a loss to Washington on Aug. 4. Hendricks is 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA in seven postseason starts.
Strasburg was dominant in 10 starts after the All-Star break, going 6-1 with a 0.86 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 62 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old allowed more than one run only twice over that span, and he hasn’t lost since Aug. 19. Strasburg has made only one postseason start - in the 2014 NLDS against San Francisco - and allowed two runs (one earned) over five innings in a tough-luck loss.
TRENDS:
* Cubs are 23-5 in their last 28 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
* Nationals are 45-11 in Strasburg's last 56 starts.
* Under is 9-1 in Hendricks' last 10 road starts.
* Under is 20-3-4 in Nationals' last 27 during game 1 of a series.
CONSENSUS: The public is leaning toward the home favorite Nationals with 57 percent of the picks and Over is grabbing a 71 percent of the totals wagers.
Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers (-250, 7.5)
Series tied 0-0
Clayton Kershaw is one of the greatest pitchers of his era but postseason success has often eluded the Los Angeles Dodgers' ace left-hander. Kershaw looks to improve on his spotty playoff resume when he opens the National League Division Series against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner stands just 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA in 18 career appearances (14 starts) in the postseason and is looking to help propel the team with the best record (104-58) in the majors to its first World Series berth since 1988. "I'm sure every year I feel like we're going to win the World Series. This year is no different," Kershaw told reporters. "We've had a better regular season than I've ever been a part of." Arizona, which defeated the Colorado Rockies 11-8 in Wednesday's NL wild-card game, isn't about to back down from the Dodgers after winning the regular-season series 11-8. "Look, the Dodgers got on a tremendous run there, and I think they were steamrolling teams and intimidating teams, and I don't think we have that mentality," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "We love that battle mindset. We love that challenge."
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Taijuan Walker (9-9, 3.49 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (18-4, 2.31)
Walker was named the starter early Thursday evening, an assignment that opened up after All-Star left-hander Robbie Ray was needed to pitch in relief in the wild-card game. The 25-year-old was 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers this season and said he will be aware of his nerves in what is his first career postseason appearance. "I think the biggest thing is controlling your emotions and taking it one pitch at a time," Walker said at a press conference. "I think you can't go out there and let the adrenaline really get to you. You have to take a deep breath every pitch and really focus on each pitch."
Kershaw dominated the Diamondbacks in two starts this season by going 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA and holding batters to a .118 average. The 29-year-old has a long standard of success against Arizona with a solid 2.55 career ERA in 26 career starts while going 14-8 with a 1.12 WHIP. The postseason issues are a concern to the Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts said during Thursday's press conference that it is "set in stone" that Kershaw won't be used on short rest and his next start would be in Game 5, if necessary.
TRENDS:
* Diamondbacks are 8-1 in their last 9 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
* Dodgers are 44-9 in Kershaw's last 53 starts.
* Over is 4-0 in Diamondbacks' last 4 games vs. a left-handed starter.
* Diamondbacks are 6-0 in the last 6 meetings.
CONSENSUS: The public is leaning toward the home favorite Dodgers with 72 percent of the picks and Over is grabbing a 64 percent of the totals wagers.
Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros (-160, 8.5)
Astros lead series 1-0
Jose Altuve looks for another memorable performance as his Houston Astros vie for a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series on Friday afternoon against the visiting Boston Red Sox. Altuve, the AL batting champion three of the last four years, including 2017, launched three solo homers in the series opener on Thursday as the Astros posted an 8-2 victory after taking three of four at Boston to end the regular season.
Altuve went 10-for-24 with one blast against the Red Sox in the regular season on the way to a career-high .346 overall batting average, a .410 on-base percentage, 24 homers and 81 RBIs. Altuve is 7-for-17 with a double and a walk versus Boston’s scheduled starter Drew Pomeranz, who finished the regular season strong and will face 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel on Friday. Slugger Hanley Ramirez recorded a pair of hits in the opener after coming on when Eduardo Nunez suffered a knee injury, while Mookie Betts and Sandy Leon also notched two hits apiece as the Red Sox lost their fourth consecutive postseason contest after being swept by Cleveland in the last year's ALDS. Boston will need more from Dustin Pedroia, who went 0-for-3 with a walk on Thursday and was 3-for-36 to end the regular season while hampered by a lingering knee injury.
TV: 2:05 p.m. ET, FS1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Drew Pomeranz (17-6, 3.32 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (14-5, 2.90)
Pomeranz won three of his last four decisions during the regular season and gave up fewer than two runs in three of his final four appearances. The 28-year-old went 7-3 with a 3.19 ERA on the road this year and 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two starts against the Astros. Carlos Correa (3-for-5) and Jake Marisnick (4-for-12, two homers) have caused plenty of trouble for Pomeranz, who is 2-2 with a 3.69 ERA in 12 career games (seven starts) versus Houston.
Keuchel finished the regular season strong, limiting his final three opponents and seven of the last nine to fewer than three earned runs. The 29-year-old Tulsa native is 36-20 all-time at Minute Maid Park, including 6-2 with a 1.64 ERA this year, and went 2-0 there in the 2015 postseason. Ramirez is 2-for-2 while Betts and Xander Bogaerts each have homered versus Keuchel, who is 0-1 with a 9.88 ERA in three career appearances (two starts) against Boston.
TRENDS:
* Red Sox are 17-4 in Pomeranz's last 21 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
* Astros are 12-2 in their last 14 home games.
* Over is 11-2 in Astros' last 132 Divisional Playoff games.
* Under is 13-3 in Hernandez's last 16 games behind home plate.
CONSENSUS: The public is leaning toward the home favorite Astros with 65 percent of the picks and Over is grabbing 56 percent of the totals wagers.
New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians (-220, 7)
Indians lead series 1-0
The current ace of the Cleveland Indians faces a former one in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Friday as Corey Kluber gets the start opposite CC Sabathia and the visiting New York Yankees. Kluber, a prime candidate to pick up his second career AL Cy Young Award after leading the majors in ERA, will be eager to attack a Yankees lineup that was limited to three hits in Cleveland's series-opening 4-0 victory on Thursday.
Slugger Aaron Judge was 0-for-4 with four of New York's 14 strikeouts, while fellow right fielder Jay Bruce homered and drove in three of the Indians' four runs. Cleveland managed only five hits of its own but wore out Yankees right-hander Sonny Gray, who walked four and gave up three runs over 3 1/3 innings in the second straight poor start by a New York pitcher this postseason. Kluber was dominant in the playoffs a year ago, going 4-1 with a 1.83 ERA in six starts - including seven scoreless innings against Boston in his lone ALDS outing. Sabathia, who is 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 10 starts following a loss this year, registered 106 wins and claimed a Cy Young Award during his eight years with the Indians.
TV: 5 p.m. ET, MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (14-5, 3.69 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (18-4, 2.25)
Sabathia posted his best win total since 2013 and his lowest ERA since 2012 in a solid campaign that ended with victories in each of his final three starts. The 37-year-old will be making his first postseason appearance since giving up six runs and 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings of Game 4 of the 2012 AL Championship Series. Carlos Santana (10-for-19), Francisco Lindor (5-for-9) and Jose Ramirez (4-for-8) have enjoyed their encounters with Sabathia, who last faced the Indians on Aug. 6, 2016.
Kluber also led or tied for the lead in the AL in wins, complete games (five) and shutouts (three) while finishing the regular season by going 6-0 in his final seven starts. That run began with eight dominant innings at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 28, a performance that came less than four weeks after he registered 11 strikeouts in a complete-game home victory over New York. Several Yankees have dismal numbers against Kluber, including Todd Frazier (3-for-26, 10 strikeouts), Aaron Hicks (3-for-23, eight), Chase Headley (1-for-14), Didi Gregorius (2-for-13) and Starlin Castro (2-for-12).
TRENDS:
* Yankees are 0-4 in their last 4 playoff road games.
* Indians are 5-0 in Klubers last 5 starts vs. Yankees.
* Under is 5-0 in Yankees last 5 Divisional Playoff games.
* Under is 5-1 in Indians last 6 overall.
Chicago Cubs at Washington Nationals (-160, 7)
Series tied 0-0
The man who took the ball to start the Chicago Cubs’ World Series clincher gets it again Friday. The Cubs send Kyle Hendricks to the mound opposite fellow right-hander Stephen Strasburg when visiting Chicago begins its quest for another crown in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals.
The Cubs are trying to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000, and only one team since then - the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies - have returned to the World Series the year after winning. "There was maybe a little more pressure last year because you feel the weight of 108 years on your shoulders,” Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant told reporters. “This year, it's not like it's different, we're here for one reason - we want to win the whole thing. Regardless if we won it last year or 108 years ago, it doesn't matter to us." Now it’s the Nationals who are trying to get over the hump after being knocked out in the NLDS three times in the past five seasons. The franchise has not won a postseason series since it was in Montreal in 1981.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52)
Hendricks struggled early in the season, but he has posted an NL-best 2.19 ERA since returning from a hand injury July 24. The 27-year-old has allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of his 13 starts over that stretch, but he gave up three runs over seven innings in a loss to Washington on Aug. 4. Hendricks is 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA in seven postseason starts.
Strasburg was dominant in 10 starts after the All-Star break, going 6-1 with a 0.86 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 62 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old allowed more than one run only twice over that span, and he hasn’t lost since Aug. 19. Strasburg has made only one postseason start - in the 2014 NLDS against San Francisco - and allowed two runs (one earned) over five innings in a tough-luck loss.
TRENDS:
* Cubs are 23-5 in their last 28 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
* Nationals are 45-11 in Strasburg's last 56 starts.
* Under is 9-1 in Hendricks' last 10 road starts.
* Under is 20-3-4 in Nationals' last 27 during game 1 of a series.
CONSENSUS: The public is leaning toward the home favorite Nationals with 57 percent of the picks and Over is grabbing a 71 percent of the totals wagers.
Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers (-250, 7.5)
Series tied 0-0
Clayton Kershaw is one of the greatest pitchers of his era but postseason success has often eluded the Los Angeles Dodgers' ace left-hander. Kershaw looks to improve on his spotty playoff resume when he opens the National League Division Series against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner stands just 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA in 18 career appearances (14 starts) in the postseason and is looking to help propel the team with the best record (104-58) in the majors to its first World Series berth since 1988. "I'm sure every year I feel like we're going to win the World Series. This year is no different," Kershaw told reporters. "We've had a better regular season than I've ever been a part of." Arizona, which defeated the Colorado Rockies 11-8 in Wednesday's NL wild-card game, isn't about to back down from the Dodgers after winning the regular-season series 11-8. "Look, the Dodgers got on a tremendous run there, and I think they were steamrolling teams and intimidating teams, and I don't think we have that mentality," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "We love that battle mindset. We love that challenge."
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Taijuan Walker (9-9, 3.49 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (18-4, 2.31)
Walker was named the starter early Thursday evening, an assignment that opened up after All-Star left-hander Robbie Ray was needed to pitch in relief in the wild-card game. The 25-year-old was 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers this season and said he will be aware of his nerves in what is his first career postseason appearance. "I think the biggest thing is controlling your emotions and taking it one pitch at a time," Walker said at a press conference. "I think you can't go out there and let the adrenaline really get to you. You have to take a deep breath every pitch and really focus on each pitch."
Kershaw dominated the Diamondbacks in two starts this season by going 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA and holding batters to a .118 average. The 29-year-old has a long standard of success against Arizona with a solid 2.55 career ERA in 26 career starts while going 14-8 with a 1.12 WHIP. The postseason issues are a concern to the Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts said during Thursday's press conference that it is "set in stone" that Kershaw won't be used on short rest and his next start would be in Game 5, if necessary.
TRENDS:
* Diamondbacks are 8-1 in their last 9 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
* Dodgers are 44-9 in Kershaw's last 53 starts.
* Over is 4-0 in Diamondbacks' last 4 games vs. a left-handed starter.
* Diamondbacks are 6-0 in the last 6 meetings.
CONSENSUS: The public is leaning toward the home favorite Dodgers with 72 percent of the picks and Over is grabbing a 64 percent of the totals wagers.
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