Matt Severance
FEATURED PICK
N.Y. YANKEES @ BOSTON | 07/23 | 7:10 PM EDT
N.Y. YANKEES +1.5
ANALYSIS: This is the first time in his Yankees career that AL Cy Young favorite Gerrit Cole is a betting underdog (see news feed), so I have to take NYY on the runline simply out of principle because I won't get Cole at +1.5 again. I'd probably take the Yanks on the moneyline if they weren't missing a few injured/COVID guys. While Cole struggled for a bit after the sticky stuff crackdown, he has dominated in his past two. New York should have won Thursday's opener at Fenway, but Aaron Boone for some reason didn't use closer Aroldis Chapman. Presuming he's available here.
ATLANTA @ PHILADELPHIA | 07/23 | 7:05 PM EDT
PHILADELPHIA -153
ANALYSIS: The Phillies are an excellent home team but no surprise they were routed by the Braves on Thursday because Atlanta had the clear pitching edge. That belongs to Philadelphia on Friday with Zack Wheeler (7-2, 2.44) -- his FanGraphs WAR of 4.6 is third-best in the majors of any pitcher. He has a 1.37 ERA in three starts this year vs. the Braves. The Phils rested outfielder Andrew McCutchen and All-Star catcher JT Realmuto on Thursday and both should be back in there. Atlanta starter Max Fried has a 6.43 road ERA.