The second half of the 2021 MLB regular season starts on Thursday night, as the Boston Red Sox head south to face their longtime rivals, the New York Yankees, in the Bronx. The Red Sox have dominated the series so far this season, winning all six meetings, which is a major factor in their eight-game lead over the Yankees in the American League East standings. The Red Sox lead the division with a 55-36 mark coming out of the All-Star break, while the Yankees are tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for third.
Let’s take a closer look at this Thursday night matchup as you resume your MLB sports betting.
MLB News: Boston Red Sox at N.Y. Yankees Preview (July 15)
When: Thursday, July 15, 2021, 7:00 PM ET
Where: Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, NY
TV: ESPN
Radio: WEEI 93.7 FM Boston / WFAN 660 AM New York City
Live Stream: WatchESPN
MLB Odds: Boston +150 / New York -140
Projected Pitching Matchup: Eduardo Rodriguez (6-5, 5.52 ERA) (BOS) vs TBA (NY)
The Red Sox went into the break on a sour note, dropping two of three at home against the Philadelphia Phillies and losing Sunday’s game, 5-4 despite the Phillies losing their scheduled starting pitcher, Aaron Nola, thanks to COVID-19 tracing. The game marked the Phillies’ second straight win at Fenway, as they clouted the Red Sox, 11-2, on Saturday, to end a nine-game home winning streak for the Sox.
The Red Sox outhit the Phillies, 11-6, and got a home run from Xander Bogaerts, but they could not come back from a 5-1 deficit in the fourth inning. Boston went 1 of 9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners on base overall. Nick Pivetta took the loss, throwing just four innings of five-run ball. Kike Hernandez made a terrific play in the fifth inning, making a diving catch on a sinker in center field and then getting up to complete a double play.
On Thursday, the Red Sox start Eduardo Rodriguez. His record and ERA have not been stellar, and the road has been even less kind to him, where he has a 3-4 record and a 5.70 ERA. Even so, he has gotten a ton of offensive support, as the Sox have won four of his last five road starts, including a 7-3 victory at Yankee Stadium on June 5. In two starts against the Pinstripes this season, Rodriguez has a 3.97 ERA.
The Yankees come out of the break hoping that the memories of Sunday have faded. The Yankees took the first two games over the Al West-leading Houston Astros — shutting out a high-octane offense in both wins, including a complete-game shutout by Gerrit Cole on Saturday — and had a 7-2 lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday, looking ready to complete the sweep. However, the Astros mounted a six-run ninth inning to deliver a shocking 8-7 win.
In MLB, teams have entered the ninth inning with at least a four-run lead 495 times. On 493 of those occasions, they have gone on to win. The Yankees have lost both of the other two games, including a June 30 loss to the Los Angeles Angels and Sunday’s loss in Houston. The Astros had not come back from a five-run deficit in the ninth inning since July 25, 1980, when they erased a 7-2 deficit for a 9-8 win over Montreal. On Sunday night, it was Jose Altuve’s walk-off home run that delivered the win.
The Yankees have yet to name a starter going into the second half of the season. Both teams are in need of a jolt, so which will seize the momentum? I’m going to take the value and go with Boston to win.
Final Prediction:
Red Sox 5, Yankees 4
MLB Betting Odds
Love betting on baseball like in the MLB? | Xbet Sportsbook offers up to date MLB betting Odds for all Regular Season, Playoffs, and World Series games.
