The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will close out a four-game series on Monday night with the Yankees going for the sweep. The Yankees are favored at home with a moneyline of -159 compared to Boston’s +144.
Even with a lot of the season left to play, the Red Sox are starting to look dead in the water. They have now lost seven straight games and are 3-11 in August. Boston is in last place in the AL East and is one of two teams in the majors that are ten games under .500.
Meanwhile, the Yankees have bounced back from a rough series in Tampa last weekend with five straight wins. With Sunday’s win, New York became the third team in the big leagues to reach 15 wins this year. Even after dropping a series with the Rays last weekend, the Yankees hold a two-game lead atop the AL East.
Make It Permanent
Jordan Montgomery will get the start for the Yankees on Monday night. The southpaw is close to finally solidifying a full-time spot in the starting rotation. He’s made three starts this season, going 2-1, albeit with a modest 5.17 ERA. At times, Montgomery has pitched to contact too much. He has just ten strikeouts over 15.2 innings while also giving up three home runs.
Despite spending his entire career with the Yankees, Montgomery doesn’t have much experience facing Boston’s hitters. On Monday, he’ll face a Red Sox team that is yet to get it clicking in 2020. One of Boston’s few standout hitters this year has been Xander Bogaerts, who is four for nine against Montgomery in his career.
Christian Vazquez has also had past success against Montgomery, going 3 for 6 with a home run. However, his bat has cooled off considerably after a hot start.
The New Ace
The Red Sox will also have a lefty on the mound on Monday with Martin Perez getting the nod. Perez has become Boston’s ace this season amidst a rotation in ruins. Through his first four starts of the season, the southpaw is 2-2 with a 3.38, by far the best starter for the Red Sox this season.
His first start of the season turned out to be his worst. Perez has been solid ever since, including back-to-back starts against the Rays.
Of course, Perez will likely face his biggest challenge of the season. Even with DJ Lemahiu on the IL, the likes of Aaron Judge, Luke Voit, Gio Urshela, and Mike Tauchman have all had outstanding campaigns. Judge has been unstoppable since the calendar turned to August while Voit and Urshela have both homered against Perez earlier in their career.
More importantly, the Yankees are averaging eight runs per game during their five-game winning streak.
Bronx Bombers
With Perez on the mound, this is Boston’s best chance to win a game in this series. However, that doesn’t mean he’ll be able to slow down New York’s lineup. Moreover, Boston’s moneyline isn’t enough to make it worth the risk. Play it safe and bet on the Yankees to win on Monday.
