The New York Yankees open a pivotal four-game series in the Bronx against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night. The Yankees won last night against the Royals in extra innings, increasing their AL East lead to 1 1/2 games.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox would love nothing more than to spoil the Yankees' season. The Red Sox are not eliminated from postseason contention as they are four games out of the final AL wild-card spot.
Cooper Criswell is on the mound for the Sox, and Nestor Cortes will oppose him for the Yankees. I built a three-leg Yankees vs Red Sox parlay that pays out nearly 8 to 1 on your original investment. Here are my MLB parlay picks.
Red Sox vs Yankees MLB Parlay Picks
- Aaron Judge Over 1.5 Total Bases (-120)
- Rob Refsnyder Over 1.5 Total Bases (+140)
- Boston Red Sox Run Line +0.5 F5 Innings (-106)
Parlay Odds: +779 (FanDuel)
Remember to bet responsibly — this is a long shot for a reason.
Aaron Judge Over 1.5 Total Bases (-120)
Red Sox vs. Yankees, 7:15 p.m. ET
Aaron Judge has not hit an HR in 12 games, and tonight, I have a hunch he is in for a big night. Judge draws a matchup against Cooper Criswell, who typically relies on allowing softer contact.
He does not generate many whiffs or chases, which is a dream for a hitter like Judge. Judge's ability can overmatch any pitcher in the game, but it's a plus that he gets to face a guy who wants you to make contact with the ball.
I'd be stunned if Judge did not break out of his slump tonight, and we are getting a bargain price for his total base prop. If he does not hit an HR, I expect at least an extra-base hit or multiple hits against Criswell or the horrific Sox bullpen.
Pick: Aaron Judge Over 1.5 Total Bases -120
Rob Refsnyder Over 1.5 Total Bases (+140)
Red Sox vs. Yankees, 7:15 p.m. ET
Refsnyder has returned from injury and is certainly excited to see he will oppose Nestor Cortes tonight. Refsynder is a staple in the Sox lineup against left-handed pitching, and his numbers against Cortes are outstanding.
Refsynder is 8-16 lifetime against Cortes, with multiple extra-base hits. He's also batting .304 with 15 extra-base hits against lefties in 2024.
Cortes has pitched better as of late, but he is still a guy who allows a lot of contact. He will not light up the radar gun, and that is the exact pitcher portfolio that Refysnder will take advantage of.
+140 is a joke of a price, and I would not be surprised to see Refsnyder go yard tonight against his former team.
Pick: Rob Refsnyder Over 1.5 Total Bases +140
Boston Red Sox Run Line +0.5 F5 Innings (-106)
Red Sox vs. Yankees, 7:15 p.m. ET
The Sox are +140 to win outright tonight, and that is probably due to the fact their bullpen has been a massive problem all season long. The Yankees bullpen has not been much better, but they still have the edge on them late in the game.
Nonetheless, the Sox are getting a lot of disrespect in the market right now. To be fair, they are a worse offensive team against left-handed pitching, but they have excellent numbers against Cortes in the past.
The Sox are batting .316 as a team, and there are over 79 plate appearances against him, so they should have the upper hand in the early innings. I like the fact we are getting a low price on the Sox being tied or greater through 5 innings, and I think it is feasible to believe their offense can get off to a hot start against Cortes.
Cortes, oddly enough, has an ERA over 5.00 in 2024 during innings 1 and 3-5. With that said, the Sox could get off to a fast start, and that may be enough for them to hold on for at least a tie through 5 innings.
Pick: Boston Red Sox +0.5 F5 -106
