A Stanley Cup champion has been crowned, and the resumption of the NBA Finals is a day away, so Major League Baseball takes center stage with a full 15-game slate on Wednesday. One of the contests that will draw a good amount of attention will be played at Yankee Stadium, where the American League East-leading New York Yankees attempt to break out of their offensive funk and end their season-high five-game losing streak when they host the Los Angeles Angels (7:05 p.m. ET). New York is a -223 betting favorite, and the over/under for total runs scored is set at 9.5.
The Yankees lead the AL and rank third in the majors with 370 runs scored but have struggled mightily in that department of late. New York has crossed the plate a total of four times during its slide and five times over its last six games. The club has been shut out in three straight contests for the first time since Sept. 22-24, 2016, and enters the third game of its four-game series against Los Angeles with a 29-inning scoreless streak.
The Angels haven’t exactly been lighting it up during their seven-game road trip, which began with them getting swept at Baltimore. They scored seven runs in that three-game set and have recorded just five over their first two meetings with the Yankees.
There are 14 other games on Wednesday’s MLB schedule and one on the WNBA slate.
Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet on for Wednesday, June 18. All times Eastern
⚾ MLB best bets, where to watch
Angels at Yankees
Time: 7:05 p.m. | Location: New York | TV: Prime Video
SportsLine picks — Model: Yankees -160 | Expert: Zachary Neto to hit a home run
The Yankees are looking to score for the first time since Anthony Volpe delivered an RBI groundout in the ninth inning of Saturday’s 4-3 road loss to the Boston Red Sox. New York dropped a 2-0 decision to Boston in the series finale, lost the opener against Los Angeles 1-0 in 11 innings, and was defeated 4-0 on Tuesday. The team collected a total of 17 hits in the three shutout losses, while major league batting leader Aaron Judge went 1-for-11 to see his average drop from .384 to .372. The reigning AL MVP’s slump goes even farther back, as he has recorded only three hits in 24 at-bats over his last seven games.
New York sends Ryan Yarbrough (3-1, 3.96 ERA) to the mound Wednesday for his eighth start of the season. The 33-year-old left-hander allowed two runs or fewer in six of his first seven turns. The Angels counter with Jack Kochanowicz (3-8, 5.53), who has yielded four runs in four of his last five outings—including a home loss to the Yankees on May 26.
The SportsLine Projection Model is leaning toward the favored Yankees (-225), while SportsLine expert Jake Fetner is all over Los Angeles’ Zachary Neto to hit a home run (+425). He notes that Neto has gone deep three times in eight games in which the opposing starter is a southpaw.
Padres at Dodgers
Time: 10:10 p.m. | Location: Los Angeles | TV: MLB Network
SportsLine picks — Model: Padres +1.5 -160
The National League West-leading Dodgers, who have won four in a row, are 3 1/2 games ahead of the San Francisco Giants and five in front of the Padres after posting 6-3 and 8-6 victories over San Diego in the first two contests of their four-game set. Emmet Sheehan returns from Tommy John surgery to make his first start for the Dodgers since 2023, when he went 4-1 with a 4.92 ERA as a rookie in 11 starts and two relief appearances. The Padres, who have lost five of their last six games, will have Stephen Kolek (3-2, 3.50) on the hill. The 28-year-old right-hander worked 5 2/3 scoreless innings in back-to-back starts before surrendering five runs—four earned—over 4 1/3 frames in a loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks last time out.
The model sees San Diego covering the spread as it is leaning toward the Padres +1.5 (-124).
More MLB best bets
🏀 WNBA best bets, where to watch
Mercury at Sun
Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Uncasville, Connecticut | TV: League Pass, Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine expert pick: Fever -17.5
The Mercury have posted back-to-back victories, defeating the Dallas Wings 93-80 at home last Wednesday before beginning their four-game road trip with a 76-70 triumph over the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday. But Phoenix has lost 11 of its last 13 overall meetings with the Sun, including six straight on the road. However, Connecticut is just 2-9 this season and enters this matchup with a three-game losing streak. The Sun are coming off an 88-71 setback against the Indiana Fever on Tuesday and will need to find a way to slow down Mercury forward Satou Sabally, who is fifth in the WNBA with a 20.6-point average and has posted three consecutive performances of 20 or more points.
WNBA picks
👀 Looking ahead
Thunder at Pacers, NBA Finals Game 6
Date: Thursday | Time: 8:30 p.m. | Location: Indianapolis | TV: ABC, Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Pacers +208 | Expert: Thunder -5.5
There was minimal drama in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, with the homestanding Thunder pulling away for a 120-109 victory over the Pacers. Jalen Williams scored 40, and regular-season MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is also the front-runner for Finals MVP, scored 31 as Oklahoma City took advantage of 23 Indiana turnovers and converted them into 32 points. Now, the Thunder are one victory away from their first NBA championship, but they are just 5-4 on the road in the playoffs, and Gainbridge Fieldhouse is a difficult road environment.
The SportsLine Projection Model sees value on the Pacers +208 to win outright and force a Game 7, while SportsLine expert Jason La Canfora (+2257 on NBA this season) is confident that Oklahoma City covers the 5.5-point spread over what he views as a tiring and fading Pacers club.
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