MLB AL Wild Card Betting Preview on Astros at Yankees

Alas, the MLB Playoffs are here, and the Houston Astros will get us rolling in the MLB Lines when they take on the Yankees in New York this Tuesday in a clash that promises a lot of fireworks in the Big City of Bright Lights. Who will be turning up the heat and shining brightest in this dream AL Wild Card matchup? Read on, as we give you a betting analysis of this showdown, complete with free MLB picks for your savvy consideration.

Closer Look at the MLB AL Wild Card Betting Preview on Astros at Yankees & TV Info

Venue:  Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2015 Time: 8:00 PM ET TV: ESPN/Watch ESPN 

Astros at Yankees MLB Betting Analysis

After spending most of the season perched atop their respective divisions, the Astros (86-76, 2nd in AL West) and Yankees (87-75, 2nd in AL East) find themselves fighting for a chance to win this Wild Card clash and meet the Kansas City Royals in the next stage of the playoffs. The Astros, arguably the most surprising success story in the Major League this season, enters this clash with the momentum of winning 3 of their last 4 games against the Yankees, which makes them slight favorites over their hosts. In their quest to beat the Yankees in the Bronx, the Astros have Dallas Keuchel (20-8, 2.48 ERA) on the mound. The Astros are hoping that the flamethrower will be able to continue his hot finish to the regular season, where he went 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his last three starts. The Yankees, on the other hand, finished the season on a disappointing 0-3 run and are hoping that the home advantage will be able to rejuvenate them for a win in this all-important clash. The New York franchise will give the ball to Masahiro Tanaka (12-7, 3.51 ERA). Tanaka went 7-4 with a 3.71 ERA in 14 home starts in the regular season, but the fans are understandably worried about the fact that the pitcher gave up six earned runs across 11 innings in his last two starts for the Yankees. Obviously, having Keuchel (a CY Young favorite in the AL and the only 20-game winner in the league) on the mound is a big plus to the Astros, especially because they’ll be going against a shaky New York team that has lost six of its last seven games. That said, the Yankees boast of more overall experience and immense playoff experience, which should be a big motivation for them to rise to this big home occasion. Not to mention, Yankees manager Joe Girardi rested several regulars during that final week of the season, so his players should come into this game very ready for this intense battle. Also, although Keuchel is a quality player, he will be pitching on three days rest for the first time in his career, and doing so under immense pressure in the scary Yankee Stadium that is very tough to play in during the playoffs. Compounded with the fact that the starting pitcher for the American League in the All-Star Game was just 5-8 with a 3.77 ERA on the road this season, the Astros will need their offense to give a ton of support if they are to get a road win this Tuesday.

Key Betting Trends

• Houston is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
• NY Yankees is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
• Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 road games against NY Yankees
• The Astros were just 18-41 in their last 59 road games in the regular season
• The Yankees are 13-3 in Tanaka’s last 16 starts vs. teams with winning records
• The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Yankees’ last 6 games
• The total has gone OVER in 6 of Houston’s last 9 games on the road
• The total has gone OVER in 8 of Houston’s last 11 road games against NY Yankees
• The total has gone UNDER in 12 of NY Yankees’ last 16 games when playing Houston

Game Prediction

The road pressure for Keuchel and the quick turnaround for the Houston starting pitcher makes this game a difficult one for the Astros to win. Meanwhile, though Tanaka has been a bit shaky overall, his home record has been quite good. In addition, the Yankees starting pitcher finished the regular season with a remarkable 0.99 WHIP and 139 strikeouts vs. only 27 walks in 154 innings, which could cause a lot of problems to Houston squad that is very strikeout-prone, averaging 8.6 strikeouts per game. All that considered, we therefore believe that the Yankees will be able to eke out a close win over the Astros this Tuesday, possibly in a high-scoring combat that will deliver OVER 7 runs in total.