New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros: Odds, Preview, & Prediction | Thursday, June 30th

New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros Preview: Yankees have some good value on the road

Tonight, the New York Yankees will hit the road to take on the Houston Astros for one game before heading to Cleveland. A week ago, these teams met in an ultra-competitive four-game series that saw each team take two games apiece. This game will serve as that series' rubbermatch. You've come to the right place if you want betting action on the game.

Below, you will find a brief preview of each team followed by a prediction for the game.

New York Yankees Preview:

"Homestand Handled"- Yankees

The New York Yankees have been the best team in the MLB this season. At 56-20, the Yankees sit eight games above the Houston Astros for first place in the American League. This season, the Yankees' pitching staff ranks first in the MLB in both team ERA and bullpen ERA.

The Yankees will start Luis Severino, who has been consistent this season. So far, Severino has a 4-2 record with an ERA of 3.38. His most recent start came against the Astros, where he gave up three runs in six innings of work. This start came at Yankee Stadium, which is a very hitter-friendly ballpark. Tonight's game will take place in Houston at a much more pitcher-friendly park.

Offensively, Aaron Judge has led the way for the Yankees. Judge has been the front-runner for the MVP award so far, as he is leading the Yankees in every major category. They will rely on their sluggers to produce runs tonight like they do most games. The key to victory is to find a way to get into the bullpen somewhat early and get a quality start from Severino.

Houston Astros Preview:

"Back home in front of the best fans" - Houston Astros

The Astros have been bolstered by their great pitching staff so far. The pitching staff ranks second in the MLB, only behind the Yankees in team ERA. Tonight, they will send Luis Garcia to the mound. Garcia has had a rough last couple of starts, where he has given up more hard-hit balls than normal.

The Astros offense is led by Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Kyle Tucker, who have contributed a number of key hits to the team this season. Houston's hitters just faced Severino a week ago, and they had some solid success. The big difference between these two offenses has been their ability to put up runs consistently. Houston ranks 18th in runs per nine innings, while the Yankees rank second.

The key to victory for the Houston Astros is to get a quality start out of Luis Garcia and have some timely offensive production from the middle of their order. They will need guys like Kyle Tucker and Yuli Gurriel to come up with some big hits.

Pick/Prediction: New York Yankees ML (-125)

These are the top two teams in the MLB in terms of pitching. They rank #1 and #2 in team and bullpen ERA, so the game should be very competitive. Luis Garcia has just been a little shaky in his last couple starts, so we're giving Severino the edge in this one. In this possible preview of the American League Championship Series, we're going with the Yankees to pick up a win in Houston.