You have just hit the big time! You have just placed a bet on the Yankees – who are currently down by two runs – to beat the Boston Red Sox in the 10th game of the ALDS.
You sit back and wait for the magic to happen. You bet big, as the bookmakers have made the Yankees favorite to win by a mile. Suddenly, the Yankees lead the game by three. They will win the game in the 12th inning and head into the ALCS as strong favorites.
What happens next? As amazing as that final score was, the game isn’t over yet. You still have to watch the other end to see if your team won or lost. When the Yankees won that game, the -6 meant you had won £100 from the bookmakers. Now, it’s time to collect!
That’s £100 you can use to treat yourself to something special. Maybe you’ll splurge on a new pair of shoes. Maybe you’ll get a haircut. Maybe you’ll take a vacation. Whatever you do, that £100 is just sitting there, waiting for you.
So, what does -6 mean? To find out, we need to look at the probabilities first.
The line is usually posted before the first pitch of the game. When you see a line like that, it usually means the home team is an underdog, with the line being the spread of the two teams, in this case, the Yankees and the Red Sox.
If the Red Sox are at -6 and the Yanks are on the +6, that means the Red Sox are priced at a slight disadvantage, while the Yanks are in a favorable position.
What does that mean? It means that if you’re a betting man, you can get more bang for your buck, or in other words, it means you can place a better wager. If you’re looking to make some fast cash, check out the Yankees now!
Why Are The Red Sox An Underdog In This Game?
The Red Sox have been a thorn in the side of Yankee fans for years. They are a fun team to hate, but they can also beat you at sports betting. It’s always smart to be a little wary of chalking up a victory when the Red Sox are involved. When they’re playing well, they are difficult to beat.
The 2018 Red Sox were one of the best teams in the history of the club. They won 116 games, the most ever by a Red Sox team and the most wins by any team in the American League in a single season. They were also the first team in MLB to have an above-.500 winning percentage while scoring over a thousand runs (1,029 runs scored, 1108 runs allowed).
With the success the Red Sox had this year, it’s not a huge surprise they’re the underdogs in this series. The question is, will they be able to continue their winning ways and beat the Yankees?
How Can The Yanks Continue Their Success Against The Red Sox?
Well, it’s the other team’s turn to be the favorites now. The Yankees have been the sports bookmakers’ favorite to beat the Red Sox since October 2018. They’ve won 10 of the last 11 games against Boston, including the last seven games straight up.
Despite the dominance the Yankees have shown in the series, it’s not all about baseball. The two teams’ combined fan bases are expected to make this the largest playoff crowd in history, with over 54 million expected to tune in.
The Yankees are a well-oiled machine. They have an impressive lineup that features multiple MVP candidates in Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, and Giancarlo Stanton. They also have one of the best farm systems in MLB, boasting an incredible crop of up-and-coming talent. Plus, they have a lineup full of fresh faced rookies, anxious to prove themselves on the big stage.
With MVP candidates in Stanton and Betts, the Red Sox may find it difficult to contain the Yankees’ star-studded attack. The biggest question is how will ace pitcher and 2018 AL Cy Young winner, Justin…
Can The Red Sox Stop The Yankees’ Streak?
Well, the Red Sox aren’t just going to sit there and take it. They finally got an off day on Thursday, so they can rest their stars a little before Game 3 on Saturday. That means the Yankees will get to see a little less talent, which certainly won’t help their cause.
This is a different Red Sox team than the one that played so well earlier this year. The 2019 squad was built for long-ball country, as evidenced by the 4.8 average Bogey Howard hit on the road his team mates this year. The 2019 Red Sox only had 4.3 long balls per game, 4th-fewest in the Majors. That was a sharp decline from 2018, when they hit 5.2 long balls per game, 3rd-most in the Majors. With the ball flying out of Yankee Stadium’s famed Stadium Seat and the Green Monster, it’s no surprise the long ball became a rarity during the playoffs.
It’s time for the Red Sox to put a stop to the rolling cycle of destruction that is the Yankees. They will need to rely on their stars – especially Mookie Betts – to keep the Yankees in check. On the road, Betts is hitting.409 with 7 HR and 12 RBI. In Game 3 on Saturday, Betts is tied for the MLB lead in home runs with 4 and is looking to continue his hot streak.
The Bronx Bomber’s 2019 campaign was cut short after he injured his knee, which required major surgery. That injury may have robbed us of the chance to see what kind of MVP caliber season he could have put together. The Yankees will need their best player to return to health as soon as possible, because there are a lot of games left to be played.
Will Game 3 Be The Charm For The Red Sox?
Even though the Yankees swept the Red Sox in the regular season, the latter won the first two games of the postseason, proving they are a dangerous team in the right situation. If you look at the entire MLB history, only two teams have pulled off a postseason upset, and those teams have had a strong connection to each other. The 2019 Boston Red Sox and the 2018 Los Angeles Dodgers are the only teams to beat the Yankees in New York during the playoffs.
The 2018 playoffs were a disaster for the Yankees. They swept the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS, barely escaping with a win in game 5. They were then quickly dispatched by the Chicago Cubs in the ALCS, suffering a tough loss in game 7, when their heartbreak turned to joy as David Ortiz launched a walk-off home run to cap a miraculous comeback win.
So, as you can see, the Yankees’ magic only works when they play the Red Sox. It’s always a special moment when the two greatest rivals in sports – two teams that have stood for different things for different amounts of time – play each other. History is on the Yankees’ side, but the Red Sox won’t go down without a fight.
What If Everything Went Perfectly?
Well, that’s not going to happen. Perfect games are nice, but they’re rare. Still, it’s fun to dream. Let’s say the ball bounces the Yankees’ way in Game 3. They walk away with a 10-0 win and head into Game 4 as heavy favorites. What happens next?
Game 4 is back in Boston. The Red Sox, who have home-field advantage in the postseason, desperately need to win this game. The pressure is on! The pressure is on!
Well, the pressure gets to be too much for the Red Sox. In an incredible upset, the Yankees come away with a 6-4 win and even the series. It’s a devastating end to the Red Sox’s season. They drop the ALCS in five games and end up settling for a Game 5 win in Baltimore. The Red Sox end their season with a whimper, as the Yankees move on to their eventual World Series win.
What an incredible series that was! A total Cinderella story, as the two greatest teams in the history of their sports met in the ALCS and decided it was time to settle the score. The Yankees’ quest for 19 World Championships in 20 years proved to be too much for the Red Sox, as they won their first World Series in 86 years.