Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees: Odds, Analysis, MLB Betting Pick

The slumping New York Yankees (70-62) will look to break a three-game losing streak and stay atop the American League wild-card standings when they host the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox (76-57) on Thursday as small chalk.

Due to their skid and a three-game winning streak for the Red Sox, the Yankees have fallen 5.5 games back in the race for the division title.

Betting line: The Yankees opened as -121 favorites (wager $121 to win $100); the total is at nine runs, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)

MLB betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 5.3-3.7, Yankees (MLB picks on every game)

Why the Red Sox can pay on the MLB lines

The tide has turned in this rivalry since the beginning of the season, when New York won six of the first eight meetings. Since then, Boston has won five of the past seven, including two of three at Yankee Stadium.

The Red Sox will send 24-year-old Eduardo Rodriguez (4-4, 4.19 ERA) to the mound, and he dominated the Yankees in one start on August 11, allowing only two hits in six scoreless innings with two walks and seven strikeouts in an eventual 5-4 loss.

The Venezuelan was also 1-0 with a 3.31 ERA in three starts against them last year.

Why the Yankees can pay on the MLB lines

New York is counting on CC Sabathia (10-5, 3.82) to be a key cog in the starting rotation and get the team back to the playoffs.

The 37-year-old veteran has bounced back from a disappointing three-season stretch that saw him go 18-26 with a 4.42 ERA.

The lefthander has been plagued by poor run support lately, with the Yankees managing to score three runs or less in three of the last four games he has started.

They scored four runs in the lone win Sabathia picked up over that stretch but only one last time out when he allowed just one run and five hits in seven innings versus the Seattle Mariners.

Smart betting pick

This is a more important game for New York than Boston because both teams are heading down the final stretch, and they will not play each other again during the regular season.

If the Yankees want to make the postseason, they need to win games like this. For that reason, bet on the home team on the Vegas odds to win the opener of this four-game series.

MLB betting trends

Boston is 17-8 in its last 25 games.

Boston is 4-1 in its last five games against New York.

New York is 2-5 in its last seven games.

All MLB odds 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.