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Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees Predictions, Picks and MLB Preview – April 4, 2016

Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees Predictions, Picks and MLB Preview – April 4, 2016

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The Houston Astros and the New York Yankees are set to begin their respective 2016 campaigns by getting into a rematch of last year’s American League wild card game. The Astros will parade reigning AL Cy Young award winner Dallas Keuchel, while the Yankees will counter with Masahiro Tanaka on the mound.

Will the Astros deny New the Bronx Bombers of a successful revenge? Or will the Yankees get win no. 1 at the expense of Houston? For more baseball, you can also see read our preview of Seattle vs. Texas.

MLB World Series News and Previews

Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees Preview

Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx

When: Monday, April 4, 2016, 1:00 PM ET

Line:  Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees – view all MLB lines

TV Broadcast: ESPN

Betting on the Houston Astros (0-0)

By now, baseball fans no longer have an excuse not to know how to properly pronounce Dallas Keuchel’s name. Keuchel is coming off a breakout season in which he posted a 20-8 record and a 2.48 ERA across 33 starts—all career best numbers—en route to the AL Cy Young.

Keuchel looks to carry over that terrific 2015 campaign to this season, beginning with a matchup with New York, a team he owned last year. Keuchel went 2-0 in two regular season starts against the Yankees in 2015, allowing no earned runs and just nine hits with 21 punchouts across 16.0 total innings.

He notched a third win versus the Yankees last year in the AL wild card game, where he held New York scoreless in six innings of a 3-0 Houston victory. Houston is 8-2 in Keuchel’s last 10 starts.

Backing Keuchel is the Astros’ offense that supplied him with 5.82 runs per nine innings pitched last season.

Among those who’ll be relied upon by Houston to make contact at the plate later today are Jose Altuve as well as rising stars Carlos Correa and George Springer. Altuve batted .313 as the leadoff hitter of Houston last season, while Correa and Springer had batting averages of .279 and .276, respectively.

The three are 4-for-4 combined in 2015 opposite New York starter, Masahiro Tanaka. Luis Valbuena, meanwhile, is 3-for-9 with two doubles in his career against the Japanese hurler.

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Betting on the New York Yankees (0-0)

Masahiro Tanaka warming up

The Bronx Bombers are ready to go. And they’ll begin their campaign to recapture their glory in the AL East with Masahiro Tanaka working the mound today.

Tanaka had a topsy-turvy 2015, finishing with a decent 12-7 record and a 3.51 ERA, while also making a trip to the disabled list. Tanaka had a forgettable outing in his only career regular season start versus Houston, allowing six earned runs over six innings in a 9-6 road loss on June 27, 2015.

He fared much better in the aforementioned AL wild game loss to the Astros, though, giving up two earned runs across five innings. Last season, Tanaka went 7-4 with a 3.71 ERA in 14 home starts.

Tanaka will face almost the same solid Houston lineup he faced last season and it would really help him if the Yankees’ bats give him enough run support to operate with. The Yankees’ offense was great last season despite the age of many of its key players, ending the regular season second in runs (764) and 10th in on-base percentage (.323).

Carlos Beltran seemingly has a good read of Keuchel’s stuff as the veteran is 4-for-9 (.444) with a homer and two RBIs in his career versus the Astros’ southpaw.

The under is 4-1 in Tanaka’s last five starts overall.

Writer’s Prediction

New York wins, 3-2.

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Rex
Written by Rex

Sports Betting Tips, News, and Analysis