How will the New York Yankees respond on the brink of elimination?
The Houston Astros took a commanding 3-0 lead in the series after an easy 5-0 shutout win in Game 3 on Saturday night. For them, the ultimatum is this: win one more game on Sunday and they'll advance to the 2022 World Series. Can New York defy MLB odds and come back from a 3-0 series deficit?
Check out our MLB betting picks and predictions for the Houston Astros and New York Yankees on Sunday, October 23 to find out. Be sure to also dive a little further with our Astros vs. Yankees betting insights!
Astros vs Yankees best odds
Astros vs Yankees picks and predictions
If the New York Yankees can’t mount an improbable comeback from this 3-0 series deficit, it’ll have been 13 years since they made a World Series appearance. While that may not seem long to some franchises, it’s an eternity for the Yanks. The 13-year drought would mark the second-longest in franchise history. What makes it even more painful is that this would be the fifth straight year they came up short in the ALCS.
They’ll turn to Nestor Cortes in Game 4, a lefty who completed his breakout with a 12-4 season and a sterling 2.44 ERA. The Astros grabbed a 5-0 win in Game 3 to move within one game of advancing to the 2022 World Series.
They’ve been the best team in the American League and continue to rule it with an iron fist, hoping to advance to their fourth World Series in the last six seasons. Can they wrap things up on Sunday?
Lance McCullers Jr. gets the nod for the ‘Stros. He threw only 47 2-3 innings this season with a 4-2 record and 2.27 ERA. He’s no stranger to the postseason, making 17 appearances with a stellar 2.56 ERA.
Both teams have to feel good about their respective starting pitchers in Game 4. This has been a low-scoring series, as all three games have flown Under the total. Both teams have been prone to Unders in the postseason as the style of play tightens up and runs are harder to come by.
Houston and New York have cashed five straight Unders, respectively, in the postseason if we go back to the ALDS.
The Yankees offense has gone ice cold, mustering just three hits in Game 3 — with two of those coming in the ninth inning while the game was all but decided. McCullers has cashed the Under in all seven of his starts this season, and I believe there is reason to expect another low-scoring affair in Game 4 with a willing counterpart in Cortes on the mound for the Yankees.
My best bet: Under 7.5 (+102 at Unibet)
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Astros vs Yankees NLCS odds
| Teams | Odds to win series |
|---|---|
 Houston Astros |
-3,500 |
 New York Yankees |
+2,000 |
Astros vs Yankees moneyline analysis
The Yankees are a slight favorite at home, sitting between -119 and -130 depending on the books. They are expected to fight with their backs against the wall with a quality arm in Cortes on the bump.
The betting market is giving New York a lot of respect in this matchup considering it has been owned by the Astros as of late. The American League goes through Houston.
The trends favor the Astros, who have won six straight meetings with the Yankees. Houston has gotten the job done against left-handed starting pitchers, going 42-12 in its last 54 games against a southpaw. Playing on the road isn’t too much of a hindrance for this veteran squad as it's 38-18 in its last 56 road games.
Jose Altuve has been ice cold at the plate and recently snapped an 0-for-25 streak, but the ‘Stros have managed to get the job done in lieu of their star second baseman playing up to par.
Astros vs Yankees Over/Under analysis
The total is set at 6.5 in this matchup across all books as of the time of this writing.
Not only are both teams trending to the Under this postseason, but they’ve also been trending that way when they play one another. By now, the Yankees' “all-or-nothing” approach at the plate is well-documented.
In a league where batters are swinging for the fences and striking out more than ever, New York has embodied this approach with their two massive sluggers, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, in the heart of the lineup.
Through eight postseason games, the Yankees are batting just .161 with a .565 OPS. Those numbers simply aren’t going to cut it and they’ve gone ice cold at just the wrong time.
After batting .444 over the last 14 games of the season, Jose Altuve has been on a milk box this postseason. He finally got a hit in Game 3, but his slump could prove worrisome if it isn’t snapped soon. Slugger Yordan Alvarez has gone cold, going 1-for-10 with six strikeouts against the Yankees.
Another impact bat in the lineup, Kyle Tucker, is just 1-for-10 in the ALCS. McCullers has pitched in seven games this season and every single one of them has gone Under the total. Cortes has also been profitable to the Under, just to a lesser extent — the Yankees have gone 15-12 to the Under in games with Cortes on the mound.
Astros vs Yankees trend to know
The Under is 7-1 in the last eight meetings between these two teams. Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Yankees
Astros vs Yankees game info
| Location: | Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York |
| Date: | Sunday, October 23, 2022 |
| First pitch: | 7:07 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TBS |
Starting pitchers
Lance McCullers Jr. (0-0, 0.00 ERA): McCullers is no stranger to the postseason. The veteran essentially grew up pitching in high-leverage situations, making his first playoff appearance back in 2015 as a 21-year-old. He looked comfortable in the ALDS, tossing six scoreless innings in a win against the Mariners, allowing just two hits and two walks.
Nestor Cortes (1-0, 2.70 ERA): Cortes has arguably been the Yankees’ most reliable pitcher this year, completing his breakout performance as one of the best young left-handers during the 2022 season. His 2.70 xERA and 3.13 FIP during the regular season were both very good numbers, but they did lag slightly behind his actual ERA. This will mark his first appearance in the ALCS after allowing three earned runs across 10 innings against the Guardians.
Astros vs Yankees latest injuries
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Astros vs Yankees weather
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