Yankees Hope to Build on Hot Start Against Defending NL Champions
Yankees vs D'Backs Odds: New York -120 Series Favorite
Is it too early to start thinking about October? Not necessarily.
The Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees, both playoff hopefuls, will open a three-game series on Monday (9:40 p.m. ET) at Chase Field.
The Yankees are -1.5 (+130) on the run line and -115 on the moneyline, with the Diamondbacks priced +105 to win outright. Meanwhile, the projected total is 10. The Yankees are also -120 favorites to win the series.
What can bettors expect? Read on as we break down the Yankees vs D’Backs odds in our MLB game preview.
New York Yankees vs Arizona Diamondbacks 
Day/Time:
Location: Chase Field, Phoenix
Streaming: ARID
Betting Trends
The New York Yankees are 4-0 against the run line but 0-3-1 against the over/under. Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks are 3-1 against both the spread and the over/under.
That’s important to remember when analyzing the Yankees vs D’Backs odds.
Soto Fueling Bronx Bombers
The Yankees are off to an encouraging start after sweeping a four-game series in Houston to open the season. New York came from behind in three of these wins and outscored the Astros 21-11.
Juan Soto had a rousing debut in pinstripes, hitting 9 of 17 with a homer and four RBI. That included the go-ahead single in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 4-3 win. The three-time All-Star is a +550 favorite to win American League MVP, slightly ahead of teammate Aaron Judge (+600).
Expectations are high for the Yankees, with oddsmakers projecting them for 91.5 wins. That matches the second-most in the AL behind Houston (92.5). The Yankees are also +500 to win the AL pennant and have +1000 World Series odds, third behind the Dodgers (+340), Braves (+380) and Astros (+850).
Although there was some concern about Gerrit Cole in spring training, the Yankees reportedly hope to have their ace back by June 1. That should only strengthen the Yankees’ chances of returning to the postseason after a disappointing 82-80 finish.
D’Backs Showing Their Thump
So far, so good for the Diamondbacks, who took three out of four games from Colorado last weekend. Arizona won 16-1 on Opening Day and scored 32 runs in the series.
Outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had a terrific series, homering three times and driving in 10 runs.
Oddsmakers are bullish on the Diamondbacks after last year’s surprising World Series run, projecting them for 84.5 wins. The Diamondbacks are also +105 to return to the playoffs and +1600 to defend their NL pennant. If not for the Dodgers, those odds would be even higher.
The Diamondbacks bolstered their rotation on the eve of Opening Day, signing left-hander Jordan Montgomery to one-year deal worth $25 million. Montgomery, who went 10-11 with a 3.20 ERA in 32 starts between St. Louis and Texas last season, should slide right behind Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly to form a strong trio of starters. The Diamondbacks are also waiting on Eduardo Rodriguez, who is on the injured list with a left shoulder strain.
Assuming all those pieces fall into place, the Diamondbacks will remain atop the MLB rankings.
Series Probables
Game 1
Luis Gil vs Ryne Nelson
Gil made just one start last season, allowing four runs over four innings in a 15-7 win over the White Sox. The 25-year-old right-hander won the fifth starter job in spring training after Cole’s elbow injury left a spot in the rotation. He faces Nelson, who was 8-8 with a 5.31 ERA last season.
Be sure to keep that in mind when assessing the Yankees vs D’Backs odds.
Game 2
Nestor Cortes vs Zac Gallen
The Yankees’ Opening Day starter, Cortes allowed four runs in five innings but came away with a no-decision after New York rallied to beat Houston, 5-4. He opposes Gallen, who limited Colorado to one run over five innings in a 16-1 win on Opening Day.
Gallen finished third in the NL Cy Young voting last season after going 17-9 with a 3.47 ERA. He was among the MLB stat leaders with 220 strikeouts.
Game 3
Carlos Rodon vs Merrill Kelly
Rodon went only 4.1 innings in his first start but limited Houston to one run in a 7-1 win over Houston. The 31-year-old southpaw had a career-worst 6.85 ERA and was plagued by injury during his first season as a Yankee. The Diamondbacks will counter with Merrill Kelly, who held Colorado to one run over 6.2 innings in a 7-3 victory.
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