Guardians Take Control of Series in Game 3

Yankees vs. Guardians, 7:37 ET, Game 3

When this series first started, I envisioned it going back to Cleveland with the series tied. I was actually right, which is a change for how these playoffs have gone for me. The only thing I wasn't correct about was which game each team would win. Either way, the future play I provided is still alive and we only need the Guardians to win one more game for it to come true. I think that happens today.

The Yankees are sending out Luis Severino to try and grab this pivotal game three. Severino didn't pitch all that much this season, just 19 starts and 102 innings, but he did pitch rather well. He held opponents to under a .200 batting average against him, and posted a 3.18 ERA. He also didn't really have any drastic splits, other than being much better at night than during the day. That bodes well for today when he starts in the evening against the Guardians. He had a great last outing of the season, going seven hitless innings and allowing just one walk to the Rangers. His issue is health, but really they need him to get through today and that's it. He hasn't faced the Guardians this season, but he has always had really solid stuff, so it should be hard for an already offensively challenged team to get much off of him.

Triston McKenzie is going for the Guardians. This guy is one of the reasons that I thought the Guardians could win at least two games and maybe the series. McKenzie has been great over the past two months. Starting in September through now, he has gone 44.2 innings and allowed just 31 hits and 9 earned runs. When Cleveland needed him most for the divisional race, he stepped up. They've won six of his last seven starts, and are now looking for him to get the edge in the series. He did face the Yankees this year and he was awesome against them. In that game, he went seven innings and allowed just one hit and one walk. That was a home start and the only game in the regular season that the Guardians won.

I think the Guardians have the better pitcher in this game. It might be close and it could be a tight game, but I think that McKenzie and the Guardians pull this one off. I'm taking them on the moneyline through five innings at -110. I like plus money as much as the next guy, but I prefer to play it this way because the full game is just even money and this allows for a potential push option as well.

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