MLB Playoff Betting Picks – Yankees vs. Twins Game 1

The two worst things you could’ve told a Minnesota Twins fan before MLB playoff betting began were the following: “You’re not going to have Justin Morneau…at all,”  along with, “by the way, you’re playing the Yankees.”

The New York Yankees have demolished the Twins in the post season, going 9-2 SU in the divisional round against them. The recent history between the Twins and the Yankees has been just as lopsided.

New York is 14-2 SU in their last 16 games against Minnesota and 6-1 SU in their past 7 visits. Granted, the Yankees have fallen to a 3-8 SU record in their past 11 games, which includes a bumpy 2-5 SU streak in 7 road tests, but history has a nasty way of repeating itself.

New York Yankees (95-67) vs. Minnesota Twins (94-68)

Wednesday, October 6th — Target Field — 8:37pm EST

MLB Playoff Betting Lines:

NYY – CC Sabathia (L) -1.5 +120 / -145 / O 7.5 -105
MIN – Francisco Liriano (L) +1.5 -140 / +125 / U 7.5 -115

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One person capable of becoming a healer in Minnesota is Francisco Liriano, easily their best pitcher and a left handed ace who was unusually unreliable to finish the season. Liriano went 0-3 SU to finish the season, allowing 14 hits and 12 runs in just 13.1 innings against Oakland, Detroit and Toronto.

And while nobody can argue that Liriano’s talent is immense, everyone wonders if the defense can back him up. New York is an excellent ball placement team, and they’ll pick on the corners of the outfield where Minnesota is blatantly flawed.

That being said, it’s not like this will be an easy series for the Yankees. Without a steady stable of pitchers throughout the playoffs, the Yankees have seen their MLB playoff betting odds take a stern hit to the crotch. However, C.C. Sabathia is not a reason for their stock to fall.

Where to Watch: TBS

The Yankees wobbled in to the post-season with a 3-3 SU record in Sabathia’s six starts through September and their aforementioned losses throughout the home stretch have left a lot of itchy scalps amongst the MLB betting public. The truth is that Morneau’s absence from the lineup hasn’t necessarily killed Minnesota’s offense, and Sabathia hasn’t faced this team this year to begin with.

All season long, I’ve touted Minnesota as an absolute keeper bet at home. They’re 14-6 SU in their past 20 home games after all. But their doomed performances against the Yankees are weighing on this MLB playoff betting matchup.

I still think that Minnesota can produce some nice runs on New York’s defense, even though Sabathia has been impossible to hit lately. He’s allowed just 32 hits in 43.0 innings through September, and has the playoff experience to know what to expect.

That’s not something Liriano can brag about. As damaged as the Yankees are heading in to this game, I still can’t bet against them when they’re matched up against Minnesota. They’re as good of an MLB playoff betting pick as any other favorite on the board, and the proof is in the tilted history New York holds in the post season against Minnesota.

Furious MLB Playoff Betting Pick: New York RL and ML (UNDER)

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