Boston Red Sox Vs. New York Yankees (4/8/22) Starting Lineup, Betting Odds, Prediction

By Scott Steinberg | Apr 07, 2022, 5:10pm

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In 2021 the Boston Red Sox were 92-70, tied for second place in the American League East with the New York Yankees. Due to a better head-to-head record against New York, the Red Sox hosted the Yankees in the wild card round; winning the game 6-2 and advancing in the playoffs. The Red Sox beat the American League East champion, Tampa Bay Rays, 3-1 in the Division Round. Boston fell two games short of reaching the World Series, as they lost 4-2 to the Houston Astros. The Red Sox are +2200 to win their second World Series in five seasons. Last season the Yankees were tied with the Red Sox for second place in the American League East at 92-70; in the wild card round New York lost to Boston. The Yankees enter the 2022 season at +950 to win their first World Series since 2009.

Boston Red Sox Vs. New York Yankees Betting Odds

The Boston Red Sox are 4-0 in Nathan Eovaldi’s last four Thursday starts. Over is 4-0 in Eovaldi’s last four starts during game one of a series. The Red Sox are 1-6 in their last seven meetings with the Yankees. In their last 51 meetings in New York the Yankees are 36-15 against the Red Sox. Over is 4-0 in Gerrit Cole’s last four starts as a favorite. The Yankees are 0-4 in Cole’s last four Thursday starts. Under is 10-3-1 in their last 14 meetings between Boston and New York. In Yankees ace Cole’s last four starts overall, the over is 4-0. Eovaldi and Cole last faced each other in last year’s Wild Card game, with Eovaldi lasting 5 1/3 innings while last only two innings in the Yankees 6-2 loss.

Boston Red Sox Starting Lineup

Enrique Hernandez, CF
Rafael Devers, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
J.D. Martinez, DH
Trevor Story, 2B
Alex Verdugo, LF
Bobby Dalbec, 1B
Christian Vazquez, C
Jackie Bradley Jr, RF

Boston Red Sox Vs. Gerrit Cole (R)

Boston has one of the most talented infields in Major League Baseball and that was bolstered by the free agent signing of former Colorado Rockies star shortstop Trevor Story; who’ll be moving to second base this season. In 2021, Story hit .251 with 24 home runs, 75 runs batted in, 88 runs scored and an OPS of .801. The two-time All-Star has 2,036 career at-bats against right-handed pitching, hitting .258 with 102 home runs, 303 runs batted in, .485 slugging percentage and 988 total bases.

Third baseman, Rafael Devers made his first All-Star team in 2021. Last year, Devers batted .279, slamming 38 long balls and driving in a team leading 113 runs with a .538 slugging percentage and an OPS of .890. Devers in 19 at-bats last season vs. Gerrit Cole hit three home runs, drove in eight runs while striking out eight times. Xander Bogaerts, a three-time American League All-Star, hit .295 with 23 home runs, 79 runs batted in with 261 total bases in 2021. In 64 at-bats against the Yankees in 2021, Bogaerts hit .297 with one home run, 11 runs batted in and a .329 on-base percentage. First baseman Bobby Dalbec smashed 25 home runs in 133 games last season while slugging .494 with 206 total bases. In four plate appearance against Cole, Dalbec has struck out twice.

Alex Verdugo played in 146 games last season, batting .289 with 13 home runs and 63 runs batted in. Against right-handers last year, he had an OPS of .893, .501 slugging percentage and 11 home runs. In 14 at-bats against Gerrit Cole in 2021, the 25-year-old had four hits, including a home run while striking out five times. Spending most of his time as Boston’s designated hitter in the 2021 season, J.D. Martinez hit .286 with 28 home runs, 99 runs batted in, 295 total bases and a slugging percentage of .518. In 20 at-bats against Cole in 2021, Martinez had two doubles, two home runs, five walks with an OPS of .943.

Yankees ace, Gerrit Cole will be on the hill in the opener against the Red Sox. In 2021, Cole started 30 games, winning an American League leading 16 games (against eight losses) with a 3.23 ERA. The 2021 All-Star lead the league in complete games with two, struck out 243 batters, with a 1.059 WHIP while finishing second in Cy Young balloting. The last time Cole pitched against Boston was in the wild card game, where he lasted only two innings, allowing four hits and three earned runs.

New York Yankees Starting Lineup

Josh Donaldson, 3B
Aaron Judge, RF
Anthony Rizzo, 1B
Giancarlo Stanton, DH
Joey Gallo, LF
Gleyber Torres, 2B
Aaron Hicks, CF
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS
Kyle Higashioka, C

New York Yankees Vs. Nathan Eovaldi (R)

The Yankees feature two of the most dangerous hitters in the American League (when healthy) in their lineup, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. In the 2021 season, Aaron Judge played in 148 games, belting 39 home runs, driving in 98 runs, slugging .544 with an OPS of .916. Against right-handed pitchers in 2021 (389 at-bats), the Yankees number 99 hit 24 home runs with 65 runs batted in while slugging .522. In 12 games against Boston last season, Judge hit .250, striking out 10 times, walking 10 times, hitting two long balls, and knocking in seven runs. He had a solid .400 on base percentage with an .850 OPS. Giancarlo Stanton hit .273, slamming 35 home runs and driving in 97 runs in 2021. In his 12^th year the slugger had a .516 slugging percentage and an OPS of .870 in 139 games. In 366 at-bats against right-handed pitchers in 2021, Staton hit .273 with 25 home runs, 71 runs batted in and had a slugging percentage of .522. In 64 at-bats against Boston pitching in 2021, Stanton hit four home runs and knocked in 14 runs while batting .266.

DJ LeMahieu has been a revelation for the Yankees since coming over to the club in 2019. In three seasons in New York, he has won a batting title (2020), slugged .461, and knocking in 187 runs. In 76 at-bats against the Red Sox in 2021, LeMahieu hit one home run, drove in six runs, with a .290 batting average and an OPS of .679.

Left-handed first baseman, Anthony Rizzo who was acquired at last year’s trade deadline, re-signed with the Yankees in the off-season. In 49 games as a Yankee, the long-time Chicago Cub hit .249 with eight home runs and 21 runs batter in. Rizzo had 16 at-bats against the Red Sox last year hitting .250 with two runs driven in.

2021 All-Star, Nathan Eovaldi will be toeing the rubber for the Red Sox in the season opener. Last year, Eovaldi started 32 games and was 11-9 with an ERA of 3.75 and striking out 195 hitters. The right-hander pitched for the Yankees in 2015 and 2016 going 23-11 with an ERA of 4.45 in 279 innings. The last time New York faced Eovaldi he beat them in the wild card round tossing 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run and striking out eight batters. Prior to his victory in the wild card round, Eovaldi had lost his last four starts against the Yankees in 2021, allowing 12 earned runs overall.

Boston Red Sox Vs. New York Yankees Picks & Predictions

Boston has lost 36 times in their last 51 meetings with New York. Dating back to last season, the Red Sox are 8-2 in their last 10 games vs. a right-handed starter. Boston is 20-7 in their last 27 Friday games. In the last six regular season matchups between the clubs the Red Sox have scored no more than three runs in a game. The Yankees have won six of the last seven games against the Red Sox dating back to last season. New York is 7-2 in their last nine Friday games. The Yankees are 87-40 in their last 127 home games vs. a right-handed starter. I like New York to win their home opener over Boston by over 1.5 runs, but the clubs will combine for under eight runs.

Scott Steinberg

Scott has been a sports fan since he received a New York Mets jacket as a toddler. He’s been playing fantasy baseball and football for over 20 years, dating back to Frank Thomas being one of his first fantasy baseball picks. As a professional, he has covered the NFL, MLB, NCAAF, and NCAAB and is looked to as the go-to guy for fantasy sports amongst family, friends, and co-workers.