The New York Yankees are looking to get their offense back on track against the Oakland Athletics in the second game of a four-game series on April 23.
Oakland won the first game of the series 2-0, but the A's are still underdogs to the Yankees, and my MLB picks agree with the books.
I’ll explain more below in my A's vs. Yankees predictions.
A's vs Yankees prediction
My best bet
Yankees -1.5 (+105 at bet365)
My analysis
While the New York Yankees have been shut out in two of their last three games, there’s no reason for panic in the Bronx. Juan Soto (.322, 5 HR) has been exceeding expectations for New York, and while some players are hitting below their numbers, only Aaron Judge (.174, 3 HR) has earned boos from the Yankees faithful.
Given the amount of talent in the New York lineup, Its recent slump will turn around. And even with the recent lack of production, the Yankees are averaging 4.35 runs per game — right around the league average.
I can’t say the same about the Oakland A's, who are second-worst in the league at 2.83 runs per game. When Oakland does win, it typically comes from outstanding pitching performances combined with enough timely hitting to push across a few runs.
That’s not a strategy for sustained success. And while Paul Blackburn is off to a strong start in 2024, he’s not the kind of pitcher that should be causing the Yankees problems on a typical night.
In his eight-year career — all of which has been spent with Oakland — Blackburn has gone just 19-24 with a 4.64 ERA. He doesn’t strike out a lot of batters (6.9 per nine innings) and has consistently struggled with his control. And while he hasn’t given up a homer yet this year in 25 innings, he hasn’t historically been anything but average at keeping the ball in the park.
That won’t play against a powerful lineup at Yankee Stadium, which rates as the fifth-best park for home runs in the majors over the last three seasons. Even if Blackburn doesn’t completely revert to the pitcher we all know he is, the Yankees should be able to get a few runs in tonight’s contest.
Meanwhile, Oakland will find itself having its usual trouble scoring runs tonight, this time off of N.Y. starter Marcus Stroman. The 32-year-old has been strong in his first four starts, pitching to a 2.42 ERA over 22.1 innings of work.
The Yankees are the clear favorite in tonight’s game and should continue their recent dominance of the Athletics after going 5-1 against Oakland in 2023. I’m taking New York to not only win, but to cover the run line.
A's vs Yankees same-game parlay (SGP)
Yankees -1.5
Under 8.5
Marcus Stroman 5+ strikeouts
The Yankees have a big edge in today’s game, largely because Oakland's offense shouldn’t do much against Stroman. That’s why I’m taking the Under at an alternate line of 8.5 runs to go along with my bet on the Yankees to cover the run line.
In addition, I’m betting on Stroman to tally at least five strikeouts to complete my same-game parlay. Stroman has hit that total in two of his last three games, and the Athletics are averaging 10 strikeouts per game this season.
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 (-118) | New York -105 (+107)
- Moneyline: Oakland +185 | New York -203
- Over/Under: Over 8.0 (-107) | Under 8.0 (-105)
A's vs Yankees spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Yankees opened as a -203 favorite in tonight’s game. The best line available on New York is now -210, with +180 offered on Oakland at multiple sites.
- The A's are down about one unit on the moneyline this year, while the Yankees have won bettors more than four units for the season.
- The total on tonight’s game opened at eight runs. That remains the consensus Over/Under, though some books are moving to 7.5 runs with added juice on the Over.
- The Under has a 14-8 edge in Yankees games this year, while Oakland has played to an even 11-11 record against the total.
A's vs Yankees trend
The Yankees are 5-2 on the run line in their last seven games against the Athletics. Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Yankees
A's vs Yankees game info
| Location: | Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, NY |
| Date: | Tuesday, 4-23-2024 |
| First pitch: | 7:05 p.m. ET |
| TV: | NBC Sports California, YES |
| A's starting pitcher: | Paul Blackburn (2-0, 1.08 ERA) |
| Yankees starting pitcher: | Marcus Stroman (1-1, 2.42 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.
