Two teams on opposite ends of the American League spectrum clash Monday, as the New York Yankees open a four-game set at home against the Oakland Athletics.
At 15-7, New York has the second-most wins in baseball, just one back of the Cleveland Guardians. Not surprisingly, the Yanks are -238 moneyline favorites in the MLB odds.
Oakland, meanwhile, sits at 8-14, among the Bottom 4 in the AL after losing five of six.
Do these clubs continue on the same trajectory in their first head-to-head of 2024? Check out my free Athletics vs Yankees predictions and MLB picks below, complete with a best bet.
A's vs Yankees prediction
My best bet
Yankees -1.5 (-110 at DraftKings)
My analysis
The punchless Oakland A’s are third-last in hits and have scored the second-fewest runs at 63. Hitting just .207 as a team (28th) with a .277 on-base percentage (29th), the A's offense has struggled to get anyone in a position to reach home and they haven't been able to cash in those who do reach scoring position with any frequency. In the last 11 games, the Athletics have plated two runs or fewer seven times, a big reason they’ve won just four games over that span.
They’ll hand the ball to lefty JP Sears, who is 1-1 on the year with a 4.35 ERA. While Sears has limited the long ball, he hasn't missed any bats in the young season, boasting a paltry 3.92 K/9 (10.3%). While he was able to sit opposing bats down with more regularity last season, he is far from a strikeout artist, relying more on forcing soft contact.
The New York Yankees haven't boasted an overly dominant offense this season, ranking outside the Top 10 in almost every notable category, including hits and runs. Apart from a 12th-ranked slugging percentage, all their hitting averages rank in the bottom half.
However, the bats show up when they win, eclipsing five runs scored in 10 of their 15 victories on the season.
Perhaps surprisingly, given the lack of Gerrit Cole, the Yankees have really shown out on the mound, where they boast the third-best ERA in the bigs at 2.99 while holding opponents to a .227 average, good for ninth in MLB.
Carlos Rodon is looking to bounce back after his shortest outing of the year, taking an L in a 5-4 decision to the Blue Jays. Rodon lasted just four innings, giving up five hits, surrendering three earned runs, and walking four. The A's have the third-highest strikeout rate vs. lefties this season at 27.5%, representing a solid opportunity for Rodon to suppress runs.
The Yankees have owned this head-to-head of late, with wins in five of the last six, pegged as the betting favorite in each. New York is 6-3 as the moneyline favorite at Yankee Stadium this season, while the A’s are just 6-14 as an underdog.
The Yankees should put up more than enough offense to open this series with a decisive win — in their last seven wins vs Oakland, six have been by at least two runs or more.
A's vs Yankees same-game parlay (SGP)
Yankees -1.5
Aaron Judge anytime home run
JP Sears 2+ walks
Aaron Judge will rediscover his power swing, and the A's present a solid opportunity for him to do so. Judge is hitting just .183 on the year with three long balls to his resume and has just one dinger in his last 12. Judge has faced Sears just one time in his career, and he did take him yard. That's a staggeringly small sample, but Judge owns lefties, hitting .271 for his career, with 65 home runs and 143 RBI in 923 plate appearances.
Sears has limited the long ball early in 2024 but was homer-prone last season, surrendering 34 (fourth most among qualified starters) across 172 1/3 innings.
The lefty has also struggled with his control of late, issuing three walks in each of his last two starts. The Yankees are in the Bottom 10 in strikeouts and second in walks taken.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
A's vs Yankees odds
A's vs Yankees live odds
A's vs Yankees opening odds
- Run line: Oakland +1.5 (+100) | New York -1.5 (-120)
- Moneyline: Oakland +200 | New York -245
- Over/Under: Over 8 (-110) | Under 8 (-110)
A's vs Yankees spread and Over/Under analysis
- New York is 7-3 in its last 10 vs Oakland.
- The Athletics have dropped five of six, all as betting underdogs.
- The Over has cashed in five of the last six head-to-heads.
- Oakland has seen the Over cash in four straight games.
A's vs Yankees trend
New York is 6-2 in its last eight games at home. Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Yankees
A's vs Yankees game info
| Location: | Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY |
| Date: | Monday, 4-22-2024 |
| First pitch: | 1:05 p.m. ET |
| TV: | NBCS-California, YES |
| A's starting pitcher: | JP Sears (1-1, 4.35 ERA) |
| Yankees starting pitcher: | Carlos Rodon (1-1, 3.66 ERA) |
A's vs Yankees latest injuries
A's vs Yankees weather
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site.
