New York Yankees vs Arizona Diamondbacks | Preview, Odds, Free Pick | Sportsbookbuzz.com

New York Yankees (43-26) at Arizona Diamondbacks (27-43)
10:10 PM EST ESPN
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Starting Pitchers
NYY: A.J. Burnett (6-5, 4.33)
ARI: R. Lopez (2-6, 4.70)

The owners of baseball’s best record, the New York Yankees, will head out west to take on the struggling Arizona Diamondbacks to open a three-game series on Monday night at Chase Field.

These two teams haven’t met since the Yankees swept a three-game series in New York in 2007. The Yankees outscored the D’Backs, 18-4, in those games. Arizona, of course, beat New York in seven games to win the 2001 World Series. New York is 140-100 in interleague play, while the D’Backs are 87-109.

This series really should be a mismatch as the Diamondbacks have one of the worst records in baseball at 27-43 and are in last in the NL West. They enter off a 1-5 road trip, although at least that one win Saturday in Detroit ended a 14-game road-losing streak.

Meanwhile, New York has won nine of their last 13, and is fresh off a 4-0 win over the Mets on Sunday. The victory, coupled with Tampa Bay’s loss to Florida, moved the club into sole possession of first place in the AL East for the first time since April 21.

The Yankees took two of three from the Mets in a series that may have finally seen first baseman Mark Teixeira turn things around. The slugger has been in a slump all season and was 0-for-12 entering the contest on Friday. He went 4-for-12 against the Mets, with two homers –including a grand slam Sunday –and five RBIs.

Teixeira’s hot streak couldn’t have come at a better time as the Yankees head into a six game NL park road trip still without a healthy designated hitter. It’s unlikely that both Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada will start all of the three games as they are still recovering from injuries and have been rotating as DH. A-Rod did play third base on Sunday. In the five games A-Rod has been back from injury he is just 2-for-18 with one RBI. Rodriguez has only two homers since May 19. Teixeira has two homers and 11 RBIs in 10 career games against the Diamondbacks despite batting .171. He is also just 3 for 17 lifetime against scheduled starter Rodrigo Lopez.

Lopez has the pleasure of welcoming the Yankees to the Valley of the Sun and will make his 15th start of the season Monday. He has lost three straight starts and is winless in his last four decisions. The right-hander was pummeled at Boston the last time out on Wednesday, giving up six runs and 10 hits in seven innings. He is 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA in his last three starts against the Yankees and is 8-8 with a 5.90 ERA in 24 career matchups (20 starts), but hasn’t faced them since 2007.

The Yankees counter with A.J. Burnett who allowed six runs, six hits and four walks in a season-low 3 1-3 innings of Wednesday’s 6-3 loss to Philadelphia. The right-hander has recorded a 9.00 ERA in losing his three June starts.

Burnett also needs to do a better job of keeping the ball in the park. He has given up six homers over 16 innings during his losing skid after allowing four in his first 11 starts. This could be trouble against an Arizona team that is fifth in the majors with 82 homers, and 15-3 when hitting at least two in one game. Burnett, who hasn’t faced the Diamondbacks since 2005, is 3-2 with a 3.67 ERA in five career starts against them.

The odds makers have the Yankees as 1-½ favorites with a run total of 10 ½.

Despite the Yanks woes at the DH spot, I just don’t see the D’Backs shutting them down. Take New York and the UNDER in this one.

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