The Baltimore Orioles (46-45 SU, -1.09 Units) haven't really settled on the perfect batting order all season long.
Whomever is in the lineup on Wednesday night though, might have a field day off of Ivan Nova and the New York Yankees (50-41 SU, +1.06 Units).
PITCHING MATCHUP
Nova has finally worked his way back from Tommy John surgery, but he has yet to really get turn loose like he was when he won 16 games back in 2011.
The righty has never been able to start 30+ games in a season, and that won't be the case this year either, but the real concern from where we are sitting as live bettors for this game is how deep he can really get in this game.
Nova is following Nathan Eovaldi in the rotation now, which could put a lot of strain on the middle of this bullpen instead of just the back end. At least Eovaldi is going to be given the chance to throw 90+ pitches; Nova hasn't topped 92 pitches in a start since his return from Tommy John surgery, and it would be shocking to see him throw more than 90 in this one.
Nova has been hittable, too. Sure, he allowed just three hits in 6.2 shutout innings against the Phillies in his first start back from the DL. However, that was against the Phillies. Since then against much more normal lineups, the righty allowed 10 runs in just 17 innings of work.
Kevin Gausman is going to be called up on Wednesday to make this start for the Orioles assuming that they make another move to free up a roster spot for him.
Gausman is only 1-1 with a 5.00 ERA thus far at the big league level in 2015, but he has pitched well in Triple-A, giving up two runs in his past 14 innings of work.
Gausman won't be expected to go deep into this game either, as anything more than five frames will be considered a bit of a gift. However, the 24-year old does have Wei-Yin Chen pitching in front of him on Tuesday, and that parlayed with an off day on Monday should give Buck Showalter plenty of options if he wants to hold Gausman back in this one.
ADVANCED STATS
The Orioles have averaged 4.42 runs per game this year, but they have had some real issues aside from a few positions on the roster. Chris Davis has settled into a right field position, while Adam Jones is surely in center and Manny Machado will be at the keystone. Aside from that though, there are a lot of question marks around which could play a big role in this one.
Baltimore has had five different left fielders in the last three weeks, one of which is surely going to end up getting put out for reassignment to free up a roster spot for Gausman.
The only man we would really feel comfortable backing in live betting in this one is Nolan Reimold, who very well could be the odd man out. Reimold has a 10.9 percent walk rate, and though he strikes out a ton (29.1 percent), he is also slugging .408 and can put a real jolt into the baseball.
TALKING BULLPENS
We can talk all day about how great the Yankees have been at the backs of games this year, but this is a game where we are surely going to have to deal with some of these middle relievers.
Keep a close eye out if Adam Warren has to come in for a couple innings. Warren allows far too many walks (30 in 90 innings), and this is a problem which has really plagued so many of these middle relievers.
You don't need to be a genius to know that Baltimore has a ton of mashers in this lineup, and walks, particularly those which start innings, can create big problems in a hurry.
Take out Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances and what's left for live bettors to work with is a bullpen which has a walk rate of over seven percent, which is far too high at this level.
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker's live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker's new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here, and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees is scheduled for Wednesday, July 22, 2015 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. The contest will be televised live on ESPN.
