The New York Yankees try to avoid a second straight loss when they take on the host Miami Marlins in the first of a three-game interleague series on Friday night. The first pitch of the series opener is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET at loanDepot park in Miami.
New York dropped the last of a three-game series to the Tampa Bay Rays 14-0 on Thursday. The Yankees fell to 53-48 and are in third place in the American League East, trailing the second-place Rays by seven games and leading the fourth-place Toronto Blue Jays by one game.
Miami is also coming off a loss, splitting a two-game interleague series with the Baltimore Orioles. The Marlins are 44-58 and in last place in the National League East, trailing the fourth-place Washington Nationals by three games.
If you want to bet on this game, the MLB odds have the Yankees with a moneyline of -158, while the Marlins are listed at +143. The over/under for the series opener is set at 7½ runs.
Getting Stronger
The Yankees were buyers at the trade deadline, acquiring All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs and All-Star outfielder Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers. The 32-year-old Rizzo is batting .248 with 14 home runs and 40 RBIs this season, while Gallo, 27, is batting .223 with 25 home runs and 55 RBIs. New York needs both to be contributors as they try to chase down the Rays and Red Sox in the AL East.
“Clearly, we have a little bit of an uphill battle,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after Thursday’s loss. “We’ve got to play really good baseball the final two months of the season to give ourselves a chance to get into the dance. But there’s no question in my mind, we get hot at the right time, that we’re capable of not only playing with but beating anyone in the sport.”
Outfielder Aaron Judge will certainly appreciate some more protection in the lineup, though he’s been playing very well. Judge leads New York with a .283 batting average, 21 home runs, 48 RBIs and 51 runs scored. He went 3-for-9 with one RBI in three games against Tampa Bay, his first action since the All-Star break due to COVID-19.
New York will have right-hander Jameson Taillon on the mound for the series opener. Taillon is 6-4 with a 4.36 ERA, striking out 93 and walking 29 over 95 innings.
Taillon has won his last five decisions and is 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA in four July starts. His won his last outing against Boston on Saturday after going seven innings and allowing one earned run on four hits while striking out four and walking three.
Going the Other Way
The Marlins were sellers at the trade deadline this season, dealing away outfielder Starling Marte and closer Yimi Garcia earlier this week in separate deals before sending home run leader Adam Duvall to Atlanta on Friday.
Right-hander Zach Thompson will start for Miami. He is 2-3 with a 2.45 ERA in seven starts in his first year in the majors. He’s struck out 36 and walked 10 over 33 innings.
Thompson is coming off a loss against San Diego on July 23, going five innings and allowing three runs on six hits, including a home run, while striking out three and walking one. He’s gone 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in three starts in July.
First baseman Jesus Aguilar went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs in Wednesday’s loss to the Orioles. He leads the Marlins and is tied for fifth in baseball with his 75 RBIs, adding 18 home runs and 34 runs scored.
Series Outlook
This is the only series between the teams this season. New York is one game over .500 on the road at 26-25 while the Marlins are 24-23 at home.
New York will have Domingo German on the mound for Saturday’s game, followed by Jordan Montgomery on Sunday. The Marlins have yet to name a starter beyond Friday’s opener.
The MLB series prices for this three-game set have the Yankees favored at -180, while the Marlins are listed at +150.
Yankees Take Opener
Miami is in shambles after the trade deadline, with two of its best hitters shipped out. New York is feeling good about its acquisitions and should have a big game in this one.
When doing your MLB betting, take New York to win on the road.
