MLB Free Pick: Braves vs Yankees
Scott Morris | July 3, 2018
Two of Major League Baseball’s best teams meet in the Bronx on Tuesday when the New York Yankees host the Atlanta Braves in an interleague matchup.
The current line has the Yankees favored at -200, the Braves +175 and the over/under 9.
The two teams opened this series on Monday with Atlanta winning 5-2 in 11 innings thanks to a two-run homer by Ronald Acuna Jr. in the 11th over the outstretched glove of Aaron Judge. Atlanta is now 4-0 on its currently 10-game road trip.
Both teams have potent offenses, as the Braves started the series fifth in baseball in runs scored with 413, while the Yankees are one better in fourth with 417 scored.
New York continues to belt home runs as Judge connected for No. 23 on the season during the first inning on Monday. The Yankees have now hit 16 round trippers in their last eight games, but are just 4-4 over that stretch. Youngster Gleyber Torres continues to impress for the Yankees as he had three hits on Monday and is batting .296.
New York third baseman Miguel Andujar, who was June’s American League Rookie of the Month, has collected 39 hits for extra bases through the first 77 games of his career.
Braves third baseman Johan Camargo led Atlanta in June with 20 RBIs had two hits on Monday and is batting .361 over his current hitting streak of eight games.
Atlanta will start left hander Sean Newcomb on Tuesday. Newcomb this season is 8-2 with a 2.71 ERA. Newcomb is fifth in wins and eighth in ERA in the National League. In his last outing, he allowed seven hits and three runs with six strikeouts over six innings versus the Cincinnati Reds. On just three occasions over 16 starts has Newcomb allowed over three runs, while holding opponents to one or fewer runs on eight occasions.
New York will counter with Domingo German. The right-hander is 2-4 with a 5.32 ERA. German has been in the Yankees starting rotation since early May, but has battled inconsistency. In nine starts, he has a 5.88 ERA, while giving up nine home runs over 49 innings.
He came out of the bullpen last Wednesday to pitch one inning against the Philadelphia Phillies. In his most recent start on June 24, German gave up nine hits and six runs to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Prediction: The inconsistency that has plagued German this season on the mound with the Yankees and the strong pitching by Newcomb for the Braves will add up to a 5-2 Braves victory.
