MLB Predictions: Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees

The Boston Red Sox (36-44) and New York Yankees (41-37) will continue an American League East series Saturday night at Yankee Stadium, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET on FOX

Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees

Boston Red Sox SP Jon Lester is 4-3 with a 3.69 ERA on the road this season

Boston has dropped six of its last 10 games, including a 6-0 decision to New York as +111 road underdogs Friday night, while going UNDER the betting total for the first time in five contests. The Red Sox have scored three runs or fewer in 11 of their last 13 games, which is important to consider when making your pro baseball picks, especially since they’ll be going against one of the best pitchers in the game in this affair. Offensively, the team is batting a forgettable .227 with runners in scoring position, with designated hitter David Ortiz really struggling at the plate overall. Boston is 0-8 as road underdogs of +125 to +150 this season.

Red Sox starting pitcher Jon Lester (8-7, 3.14 ERA) has led the club to three consecutive wins, but he didn’t factor into the decision of a 7-6 road victory over the Oakland Athletics last time out. The left-hander is 4-3 with a 3.69 ERA in eight road games, with opposing hitters batting .259 against him. Lester has registered a 12-6 record and 3.96 ERA in his career versus the Yankees, but he allowed eight runs (three earned) on 11 hits in 4.2 innings at home on April 22.

New York has won back-to-back games, with each falling short of the betting total. The Yankees are an MLB-best 23-12 in games decided by two-or-fewer runs, while they’ve compiled a stellar 16-3 mark when leading after the opening frames. All eyes will be on the bullpen late in this affair, considering it paces the Majors in strikeouts, with closer David Robertson leading the way in averaging 16.06 punch outs per nine innings pitched. New York is 3-0 at home with a total of 7 or less since the start of the 2012 campaign.

Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (11-2, 2.11 ERA) had his personal five-game win streak snapped last time out, as he suffered a 8-0 home loss to the Baltimore Orioles—allowing three runs and six hits over seven innings of work. The right-hander is 5-1 with a 2.11 ERA in eight home efforts, but he has served up seven home runs in 55.1 combined frames. Tanaka earned a 9-3 road win over the Red Sox when taking on Lester in his only career appearance in this rivalry.