Rob Senior previews Cleveland Guardians vs New York Yankees on October 13 and provides his MLB betting prediction and best bet.
Rob’s MLB Picks Record: 4-2
The Guardians and Yankees square off in Game 2 of a five-game American League Divisional Series Thursday, with the winner advancing to face the winner of the Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros in next week’s American League Championship Series.
The Yankees will host Wednesday’s game as AL East champions, while the Guardians are the AL Central champions who eliminated wild-card Tampa Bay in the first round.
New York has a 1-0 lead in the series after Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over Cleveland.
Here’s a look at Thursday’s game:
| Date & Time | Thursday, October 13, 7:35 P.M. Eastern |
| Moneyline | Cleveland Guardians (+116) at New York Yankees (-136) |
| Runline | Guardians +1.5 (-205)/Yankees -1.5 (+168) |
| Total | Over 6 (-120)/Under 6 (-102) |
| Where | Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY |
| Weather | 66 degrees, 70% chance of rain |
Starting Pitchers: Shane Bieber (13-8, 2.88 ERA) vs. Nestor Cortes (12-4, 2.44 ERA)
Cleveland Guardians Preview
Shane Bieber was outstanding in Cleveland’s playoff opener, holding Tampa Bay to one run over 7.1 innings, allowing just four baserunners and striking out eight.
The Yankees’ lineup is a different challenge altogether, and an unfamiliar one to Bieber who has not faced the Bronx Bombers in 2022.
The Guardians’ recipe is pitching, defense, and just enough offense, which was successful against Tampa Bay but failed to do the job against the Yankees in game one.
New York Yankees Preview
Nestor Cortes allowed only four earned runs total over his last five starts of the season and makes his playoff debut on Thursday night against a struggling Cleveland lineup.
Cortes faced Cleveland twice this year, going 1-0 with a 2.23 ERA.
The New York lineup runs around Aaron Judge, the new American League single-season home run record holder, but the role of 1B Anthony Rizzo (.224 avg, 32 HR, .818 OPS) will be magnified against a tough righty like Bieber.
Cleveland Guardians vs New York Yankees Prediction
This isn’t the recipe for Cleveland’s bats to get healthy as they face Cortes. Cleveland’s already limited offense is a full 72 points worse in OPS vs. lefties this year (.646 vs. .718), while New York’s numbers are similar vs. lefties and righties.
As tough as Bieber is, until the Guardians’ offense shows some life this postseason (only four runs scored in 32 offensive innings thus far) it’s hard to trust them – particular against a tough left-hander in the Bronx.
Cleveland Guardians vs New York Yankees Betting Pick October 13, 2022
Prediction: New York Yankees Moneyline (-143 at BetMGM)
