Sports Betting Weekend: Baseball Returns

Baseball returns from its All-Star Break on Friday with the latest showdown in the greatest rivalry in the game, the Boston Red Sox at the New York Yankees.

The matchup doesn’t hold as much weight as it has in previous years with the Yankees falling back in the American League East. Boston enters the series having won four straight and six of their last seven games. Against the Yankees this season the Red Sox are 4-2 and they’re also 3-1 in their last four games at Yankee Stadium.

This weekend could also deliver a potential World Series preview when the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs meet up in interleague play. The Rangers own the best record in the AL right now, while the Cubs are the World Series favorite on the futures at online sportsbook Bovada at +375.

Both the Rangers and Cubs entered the All-Star Break needing the rest. Texas was 2-7 in their last nine games and the Cubs were 2-9 in their last 11. These two teams haven’t met since 2013. Texas took two of three from Chicago in that series and they are 4-1 in their last five against them.

In the National League the Pittsburgh Pirates will try to pick up where they left off before the break when they visit the Washington Nationals. Pittsburgh was rolling before the break with a 9-2 record in their last 11 games.

Washington took a three-game winning streak into the break and they had won four of their last five overall. This is the first matchup this season between the Pirates and the Nationals. Last season Washington was 4-3 against Pittsburgh and they’re 8-3 in their last 11 against them.

Meanwhile, NASCAR heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday for the New Hampshire 301. Kyle Busch won the 301 last year and along with Kevin Harvick he is the co-favorite this weekend at Bovada at +550. Brad Keselowski has claimed the checkered flag in the last two races and follows them at +650.

Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch both have three career wins at New Hampshire, but aren’t expected to win again according to the oddsmakers. Johnson is listed at +850 at Bovada, while Kurt Busch is at +1600.