New York Yankees vs. Chicago Cubs Odds, Analysis and MLB Betting Pick

Two division leaders among the hottest teams in their respective leagues right now will square off at Wrigley Field on Friday afternoon when the Chicago Cubs (16-12) host the New York Yankees (17-9) as small home chalk.

The Cubs are riding the longest current winning streak in baseball at three victories in a row while the Yankees have won two straight and seven of their past 10 games.

Betting line: The Cubs opened as -124 favorites (wager $124 to win $100), according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. Line updates and matchup report.

MLB betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 6.1-5.1, Yankees (MLB picks on every game)

Why the Yankees can pay on the MLB lines

New York has surprisingly found its way into first place in the American League East even though this was supposed to be a rebuilding year. Credit manager Joe Girardi for getting the most out of his players, especially the youngsters on the roster, led by 25-year-old outfielder Aaron Judge (MLB-best 13 home runs and 27 RBI).

Judge has hit three home runs in his last two games, leading the Yankees to a pair of wins over the Toronto Blue Jays. In addition, New York has won eight of the previous 10 meetings with Chicago in interleague play, according to the OddsShark MLB Database.

Why the Cubs can pay on the MLB lines

The Cubs seem to be finally finding their groove again after taking three of four from the Philadelphia Phillies earlier in the week. Their three-game winning streak followed a skid of four losses in five games, including two of three against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park last weekend.

The Red Sox were supposed to be the top team in the AL East this season, and Chicago manager Joe Maddon knows not to underestimate the Yankees in this spot from his days as the skipper of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Smart betting pick

The starting pitching matchup would seem to favor New York with Michael Pineda (3-1, 3.14 ERA) toeing the rubber opposite Kyle Hendricks (2-1, 4.18 ERA) if you simply look at this year's numbers. But Hendricks went 9-2 with a 1.32 ERA in 15 games for the Cubs at Wrigley last season, and he has pitched much better in his last two outings overall. He has allowed just two runs and seven hits in 12 innings over that stretch with five walks and nine strikeouts.

Bet on Hendricks on the Vegas odds to earn his first win at Wrigley this year.

MLB betting trends

New York is 16-5 in its last 21 games.

Chicago is 4-2 in its last six games.

The total has gone over in five of Chicago's last six games.

All MLB lines and betting trends courtesy of Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, OddsShark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line-movement updates and the OddsShark YouTube page for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.