- The New York Yankees shortened to +250 from +325 for the AL pennant, one notch behind the bye-holding Rays at +240.
- The Chicago White Sox shortened to +800 from +1100 as the Houston Astros lengthened to +1400, the longest price on the AL board.
- Both Game 1 winners are series favorites, the Yankees at -380 and the White Sox at -245, with Game 2s set for Wednesday.
- Houston and New York are Game 2 favorites at home, with the White Sox at +122 and the Red Sox at +120.
NEW YORK – The New York Yankees’ American League pennant odds shortened to +250 from +325 after a 9-0 win over the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. That leaves New York one notch behind the bye-holding Tampa Bay Rays at +240, with the Cleveland Guardians third at +275.
Yankees Priced Like A Bye Team
The Rays and Guardians each need two series wins for the pennant. The Yankees need three, yet pennant futures at online gambling sites price New York a notch from the Rays, because the first of those three series is priced as close to settled. The Yankees are -380 to beat Boston, and Cam Schlittler struck out 10 over 6 1/3 innings of two-hit ball in the opener while Ben Rice went 4-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs.
The Yankees won without Aaron Judge, who is inactive for the series with a strained right soleus, MLB.com reported. A ticket written at +325 before Game 1 pays $75 more per $100 than the +250 on the board now, so the early number was the one worth having.
The Yankees’ 5.0-point gain in implied probability was the largest on the board and nearly double Chicago’s 2.8. A 9-0 rout and a 6-3 win are the same 1-0 lead in a best-of-three, but the board paid the rout almost twice as much.
White Sox And Astros Trade Places
Before Game 1, the Houston Astros were +800 and the Chicago White Sox +1100. Chicago is now +800 after a 6-3 win at Daikin Park built on three scoreless innings from Hagen Smith and a home run from Colson Montgomery. Houston is +1400, the longest price among the six AL playoff teams. Boston lengthened to +950 from +650 after the 9-0 loss.
The Astros’ price fell 4.4 points by the same measure, more than Boston’s 3.8 even though Boston lost by nine runs. Houston won the AL West at 81-81 and was outscored by 32 runs, while Chicago finished 84-78 and outscored opponents by 56.
New York Yankees
- Game 1
- Won 9-0
- Series Odds
- -380
- Pennant Odds
- +250
- Before Game 1
- +325
Chicago White Sox
- Game 1
- Won 6-3
- Series Odds
- -245
- Pennant Odds
- +800
- Before Game 1
- +1100
Boston Red Sox
- Game 1
- Lost 9-0
- Series Odds
- +300
- Pennant Odds
- +950
- Before Game 1
- +650
Houston Astros
- Game 1
- Lost 6-3
- Series Odds
- +195
- Pennant Odds
- +1400
- Before Game 1
- +800
Game 2 Lines Still Favor The Hosts
Houston is the favorite for Game 2 at Daikin Park, with Hunter Brown against Sean Burke and first pitch at 5 p.m. ET Wednesday. The White Sox are +122 to win it. Chicago is a series favorite at -245 and a Game 2 underdog at once. It needs one win in two tries, and both games are in Houston, so the series price mostly bets on a second chance at the same park.
A win would give the White Sox their first playoff series victory since the 2005 World Series, MLB.com noted.
At Yankee Stadium, Sonny Gray starts for the Red Sox against Max Fried at 8 p.m. ET, with Boston at +120 and New York favored. The Yankees hold the same one-win-in-two cushion at -380, and the Game 2 lines at online sportsbooks favor New York by about the same margin as Houston.
Game 3s, if needed, are Thursday. The Division Series opens Saturday, Oct. 3, with the Yankees-Red Sox winner facing the Rays and the White Sox-Astros winner facing the Guardians.