Yankees vs Astros Picks and Predictions: Yankees Must Match Astros Bats

It looked like the New York Yankees had maybe turned a corner on offense against the Seattle Mariners, but their inconsistency struck again as they got shut out in the series finale.

Now, the Bronx Bombers will need to shake those hitting issues and live up to their namesake if they hope to keep up with the Houston Astros and their juggernaut lineup.

Is there betting value with New York, or will Houston pose too much of a problem? Check out our MLB free picks and predictions for Yankees vs. Astros on Friday, July 8, and find out. 

Yankees vs Astros game info

• Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX
• Date: Friday, July 9, 2021
• Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
• TV: ATT SportsNet-SW, YES

Yankees vs Astros odds

Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.

Compare MLB odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.

MLB sharp money and line movement report

By Patrick Everson

DraftKings saw a little up-and-down movement on this moneyline, opening Houston -137 this morning and stretching out to -148, then receding to -136, where the moneyline remains at 6 p.m. ET. That said, ticket count is 4/1 and money 2/1 on the Astros. The total opened at 9.5 (Under -120) and is now 9 (Under -117), although the Over is netting 69 percent of tickets/70 percent of cash.

Check out the full line movement for this game

Yankees vs Astros betting preview

Starting pitchers

Nestor Cortes (0-0, 1.29 ERA): Cortes, who may be most famous for messing with Shohei Ohtani, will make his second consecutive start. The lefty has been mostly used in long relief but started against the Mets on July 4 and gave up just one run on two hits over 3 1-3 innings before handing off the ball to the bullpen. 

Jake Odorizzi (3-3, 3.70 ERA): After a bit of a rough start to his Astros career, Odorizzi has really settled in. In fact, he’s downright dealing. The right-hander has allowed just one earned run over his last four starts while limiting opponents to a .123 batting average.

Weather

Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.

Key injuries

Yankees: Michael King RP (Out), Darren O'Day RP (Out), Zack Britton RP (Out), Clint Frazier OF (Out).
Astros: Alex Bregman 3B (Out), Brooks Raley RP (Out), Pedro Baez RP (Out), Austin Pruitt RP (Out), Josh James RP (Out). 
Find our latest MLB injury reports.

Betting trend to know

The Yankees are 1-5 in their last six games at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Astros.

Moneyline pick

The Yankees scored 17 runs in their first two games against the Mariners and then, as has been the norm with them this season, they got shut out in the finale. New York’s inconsistency at the dish has cost them all season and is a big reason they are just 44-42 and sit in fourth place in the American League East. 

The Astros, on the other hand, sit atop the AL West standings as MLB’s highest-scoring team. In fact, they have scored a whopping 43 more runs than the second-highest scoring team (the Dodgers). The Astros also lead the majors in batting average, OPS and they strike out the least in baseball. 

Now, they go up against Cortes who is making just his second start of the season. But the biggest thing to note in this game is that he has never pitched more than 3 2-3 innings in a game this season. Then he hands the ball to a Yankees bullpen that has really been struggling. Over the last month, Yankees relievers rank 23rd in the MLB with a 5.02 ERA.

Countering Cortes is Odorizzi, who as noted, is in one heck of a groove. He faces a Yankees lineup that isn’t scoring if it isn’t hitting homers and Odorizzi has allowed just five all season, and three of those came in his first start of the season back on April 13. The Astros are the team to back in this one. 

PREDICTION: Astros (-129)

Over/Under pick

When it comes to the total, even with the Yankees' inconsistencies, it seems like this number should still be a little higher. 

You know what you’re going to get with the Astros. They average an MLB-best 5.59 runs per game this season and they crush lefties, ranking first in batting average and OPS when facing southpaws while plating 6.45 runs per nine innings against left-handed pitching. The Over is also 8-3 in the Astros' last 11 home games.

The Yanks have scored 6.0 runs per game over their last eight games, with the Over going 6-2. And while they probably don’t get to that number against Odorizzi and Co. they can do enough to send this one above the number. 

PREDICTION: Over 9 (-110)

Yankees vs Astros betting card

• Astros -129
• Over 9 (-110)

Picks made on 7/9/2021 at 12:30 a.m. ET

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