The Boston Red Sox are set to battle with the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series tonight at 8:08 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Let’s discuss my favorite Underdog and PrizePicks picks for Red Sox vs. Yankees today.
Yankees vs Red Sox Props: Best Picks For Underdog Entries
- Cam Schlittler Lower Than 4.5 Strikeouts
- Connelly Early Higher Than 8.5 Pitching Outs
- Wilyer Abreu Higher Than 0.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs
Cam Schlittler
Lower Than 4.5 Strikeouts
The Yankees have gotten 6-plus innings from both Max Fried and Carlos Rodon to start this series, and as a result, the team still has nearly its entire bullpen arsenal at the ready.
Cam Schlittler is a rookie pitching in the most critical game of his career up to this point, and it’s extremely tough to envision him receiving a long enough leash to surpass a 4.5 strikeout total.
At the first sign of trouble, the Yanks are likely to turn it over to the bullpen.
Pick: Lower Than 4.5 Strikeouts
Connelly Early
Higher Than 8.5 Outs
On the other hand, the Red Sox have had to use most of their bullpen through the series’s first two games and are likely forced into giving their own rookie, Connelly Early, a longer leash than they would like.
In any case, 8.5 pitching outs is not a difficult number to surpass, and I see Early eclipsing this mark with relative ease.
Pick: Higher Than 8.5 Pitching Outs
Wilyer Abreu
Higher 0.5 H+R+RBI
Wilyer Abreu was a key cog in the Red Sox lineup through the first half with a 119 wRC+, but faded in the second half to the tune of just an 86 wRC+.
Boston is going to need all the help it can get in this winner-take-all matchup, and I envision Abreu at least getting a hit or driving in a run to help the cause.
He might need to do it early, though, particularly if Schlittler gets chased prematurely and the Yankees start playing the matchups.
Pick: Higher Than 0.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs
Yankees vs Red Sox Props: Best PrizePicks Plays
- Aaron Judge More Than 8.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
- Cody Bellinger More Than 0.5 Total Bases
- Cam Schlittler + Connelly Early Combined Less Than 8.5 Strikeouts
Aaron Judge
More Than 8.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
Aaron Judge has yet to have his signature playoff moment in this era of Yankees baseball, and I strongly believe that it comes in Game 3 against the Red Sox.
Judge’s ISO dropped over 60 points from the first half to the second half, but he is still absolutely crushing baseballs and gets a nice matchup versus rookie southpaw Connelly Early.
Pick: More Than 8.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
Cody Bellinger
More Than 0.5 Total Bases
Cody Bellinger went ice cold down the stretch with just a .690 OPS in September.
Bellinger possesses one of the more pronounced reverse split profiles in MLB, evidenced by a gaudy 188 wRC+ versus southpaws this season.
He should get an at-bat or two against Early, and all he needs is a single total base to hit his projection here.
Pick: More Than 0.5 Total Bases
Cam Schlittler + Connelly Early
Combined Less Than 8.5 Strikeouts
Who could have guessed that an elimination game in one of the most historic rivalries in American sports would feature two rookie starting pitchers?
Early and Schlittler are both uber-talented arms, but they both seem likely to have short leashes.
It is going to be extremely difficult for them to combine for more than 8.5 strikeouts.
Pick: Combined Less Than 8.5 Strikeouts
