MLB Betting: Yanks Eye Payback Vs Astros

The Houston Astros and New York Yankees meet up this week for the first time since the Astros topped the Yankees in last year’s ALCS.

In Tuesday night’s matchup, the Astros will start veteran Justin Verlander (4-0, 1.36), while Jordan Montgomery will get the ball for New York.

Verlander has been unbeatable so far this season and in his last start he held the Los Angeles Angels to two runs on four hits with nine strikeouts over seven innings. He faced the Yankees twice in the postseason last year and dominated them, posting two wins and a 0.56 ERA.

Montgomery is coming off a no decision against the Minnesota Twins in which he allowed two runs on four hits in five innings. New York went on to win 4-3 as a -210 favorite at Bovada Sportsbook. Montgomery has only faced Houston twice in his career, compiling a 0-1 record and 5.56 ERA.

In 14 matchups last year, including the playoffs, the Astros were 9-5 vs the Yankees. Houston owned the Yankees at home last season, with a 6-1 record in seven games.

Also on the Tuesday night schedule, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the NL-best Arizona Diamondbacks meet up for the third time this season.

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (1-4, 2.84) will get the start for the Dodgers and Matt Koch (1-0, 1.93) is up for Arizona.

Kershaw is coming off a poor outing against the Miami Marlins in which he took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits, with six walks and seven strikeouts in five innings. The six walks were very out of character for Kershaw, who had posted only three walks in the season up to that point. In two starts against Arizona this year, Kershaw is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA.

Koch recorded his first win of the season last time out by holding the Philadelphia Phillies to two runs on six hits in six innings. He has only faced the Dodgers once in his career, in a one-inning stint out of the Arizona bullpen.

In six games this season between Arizona and Los Angeles, the Diamondbacks are 5-1 with all five wins coming as the underdog. At home the Diamondbacks have won six of their last seven vs the Dodgers and five of those wins were as the underdog. Overall, in 12 games as the underdog this season, the Diamondbacks are a profitable 9-3.