2020 New York Yankees: News, Rumors, Betting Odds

(Update: The 2020 MLB season began with Opening Day on July 23, 2020. The season has been dramatically shortened due to the late start, though the World Series will still take place around the normal time of the year, set to begin on October 23.)

Major League Baseball has been put to a screeching halt this week with the infamous COVID-19 picking up steam in the United States. The first professional baseball player tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week, a minor leaguer from the New York Yankees.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has led MLB’s charge against COVID-19 and has followed the lead of other American sports leagues in delaying their season. The first MLB game was scheduled to start on March 26th but will now be delayed by at least two weeks.

2020 World Series Odds

The Yankees are in fierce competition with the Los Angeles Dodgers for top spot on most American sportsbooks. Both teams are coming off of very good seasons and offseasons and well be the consensus top teams. 

New York Yankees News

In response to the season’s suspension, there has also been consistent chatter that the league would consider an 81-game season which would cut the typical regular season in half. This is unprecedented for American sports and has millions of fans across the nation longing for their favorite teams to return.

They are the epitome of excellence in sports. The coronavirus will not change that, but it will change the way they will operate in 2020 and beyond. The team is again looking dangerous after a great offseason and will be among the favorites to win the 2020 World Series. 

NY Yankees to Win the World Series

Odds

+400

The team will have some rough patches to begin, however. The Yankees’ immense fan base will not have their baseball team for a few months, the Steinbrenner family will be shut out of millions of dollars in revenue, and the roster will see some impact. For the latter, the impact might be a positive one.

Top Yankees Rumors 

 The Yankees are an oft-injured club who have dealt with significant injuries to star outfielders Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, pitchers James Paxton and Luis Severino, and third baseman/designated hitter Miguel Andujar.

While Severino is out for the 2020 season as he is poised for Tommy John surgery and Andujar is now fully healthy, the other three players mentioned are on the bubble.

Judge (pectoral), Stanton (calf), and Paxton (back) have recovery times that extend through the originally anticipated regular season, but with COVID-19 pushing the season back, they might be able to start the season with the team. This is obviously a huge benefit.

Aaron Judge Over 5.5 August HRs

-125

Aaron Judge Under 5.5 August HRs

-105

 The powerhouse in the Bronx made a big move this season in right-handed pitcher Gerrit Cole – a move that enhances their World Series odds greatly. Cole was a member of the Houston Astros in the preceding seasons, a team the Yankees have routinely played in the postseason.

Now that the Yankees have the edge in the starting rotation, they might have the overall edge in the American League. The Los Angeles Dodgers represent their most formidable competition for the league crown as L.A. traded for MVP outfielder Mookie Betts and former Cy Young Award winner David Price.

New York Yankees to Win AL East

Odds

-303

The Dodgers already had arguably the best team in baseball and decided to add further to it. We might see a historic Dodgers/Yankees World Series in 2020 which would be a truly amazing outcome considering the history there.

New York Yankees Games

As previously mentioned, the Yankees’ large fan base will be greatly impacted this season. The coronavirus has put a damper on all teams in 2020. While no concrete changes have been made to the Yankees’ schedule, they should be expected in the coming months.

The latest rumors are that the season will officially start in May, and the schedules of games being cut in half. So instead of the Yankees schedule hosting the normal 162-game season, MLB teams would instead play 81 from May/June to October. 

Across the Yankees schedule, they might not have that many issues with the American League as a whole. The AL West only has two legitimate playoff contenders in the Houston Astros and Oakland A’s. The AL Central only has the Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, and dark-horse Chicago White Sox.

NY Yankees to Win the AL

Odds

+175

In the AL East, the Yankees could find themselves in a heated battle for the division with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are an excellent team that will get even better in 2020. While their payrolls might be a bit different – the Yankees’ payroll includes an extra zero – they are similar talent-wise.

Yankees Latest Prediction

For a final prediction, the Yankees will likely make the World Series. They are a clear-cut top-two team in the league. At this point, though, they might be in line to lose the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The big separator of the two was the injury to Luis Severino. If the Yankees can make a move at the trade deadline to supplement their rotation, they might be able to close the gap.

When this season does begin, the Yankees will surely enjoy the ride.

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