CC Sabathia: Yankees SP Needs to Provide a Lift After the Mariano Rivera Injury
May 4, 2012 · Jeff Grant · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
The New York Yankees (13-12) and Kansas City Royals (8-16) will continue a four-game American League series on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium, with the first pitch scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.
Las Vegas oddsmakers have established the Yankees as -165 road favorites, while the total remains at 8.5 but is facing downward pressure in the betting market.
New York is in desperate need of a lift after learning that longtime closer Mariano Rivera is likely to miss the rest of the 2012 campaign due to suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on Thursday night when shagging fly balls during the team’s batting practice.
The Yankees are also in the midst of a season-high-tying three-game losing streak, as the offense has managed just four runs over that span, including three in a 4-3 setback to the Royals in the opener. The club is 5-5 against left-handed starters this year, but 75-49 in that role since the start of the 2010 season.
CC Sabathia (3-0, 4.58 ERA) is certainly capable of supplying a much-needed victory, considering he’s amassed a 17-10 record and a 3.30 ERA in 34 career starts versus the Royals, including a 10-5 mark and 3.81 ERA in 18 outings at this ballpark.
Sports bettors will find that the Yankees are 14-2 in the left-hander’s last 16 starts as a road favorite of -151 to -200, with the “over” cashing in six of the last seven games in that situation.
Kansas City had lost its first 10 home games before last night’s win, as the club looks to improve upon its 2-7 record as an underdog of +150 to +175 in front of the home fans since the start of the 2010 season.
The Royals are also just 9-15 in their last 24 games against the Yankees inside their own ballpark.
Bruce Chen (0-3, 4.23 ERA) has been supplied with just 10 runs of support in his first five starts, as he enters off a 7-4 road defeat to the Minnesota Twins, giving up six runs and six hits in just 2.2 innings of work.
The left-hander will be facing the Yankees for the 18th time (14th start), bringing in a 2-5 record and 6.52 ERA. He picked up a 5-4 win here on Aug. 17 of last year, allowing three runs on seven hits in six frames in that effort.
The Royals are 6-1 in Chen’s last seven starts as a home underdog, while the “under” is 14-5 in the last 19 meetings in Kansas City.
Weather forecasts suggest partly cloudy skies and game-time temperatures in the mid 80s, with a southern breeze of 10-15 mph (out to left).
Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com
Yankee Tickets
Shop Yankee
