The Cleveland Indians and Corey Kluber are the MLB betting favorites to win American League Division Series -deciding game 5 against the New York Yankees and CC Sabathia. We have, however, already seen the Klub lost a matchup to the Sab in game 2 of the selfsame series, and while the Tribe nonetheless went on to win the game proper, perhaps that was the turning point that allowed the Yanks to build a head of steam and win two straight to tie the series 2-2.

Date: Wednesday, 11th October
Time: 8:05 PM
Venue: Progressive Field
Online sportsbook odds for fans who bet on baseball:

Yankees +1½ (-130) 7½ (-120) +170

Indians -1½ (+110) 7½ (EV) -180

Remember Sabathia, to keep him holy

Sabathia (LHP, 14-5, 3.69 ERA, 120 K) is 9-5 with a 4.47 ERA in 20 postseason games of which 19 were starts, which includes a solid 5 1/3-inning outing in game 2. “I feel great about our chances with CC on the mound. Every time he goes out, he’s a big-game pitcher and always has been,” New York left fielder Brett Gardner said.

The CC Sabathia Roar.
I wonder what he said. pic.twitter.com/BCPP0jQL7R
— Nick Pollack (@PitcherList) October 6, 2017

Cleveland did not use Andrew Miller – nor did the New York Aroldis Chapman – but the Yankees bullpen has, all things considered, has the edge on that of the Indians. The Bombers’ bullpen has been called upon for only 12 outs in the last two games thanks to Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka shouldering the brunt of the workload up until now.

The Yankees are 1-4 in their last five road games, 7-2 in their last nine against American League Central teams, 4-1 in Sabathia’s last 5 starts, and 1-4 in Sab’s last five starts against the Tribe. The MLB betting total has gone over in 10 of the Yanks’ last 16 visits to Cleveland.

It’s Klubering time!!!

Kluber (RHP, 18-4, 2.25 ERA, 265 K) is a future Cy Young winner in his own right, but he was schooled by the veteran Sabathia in game 2, in which he, Kluber, surrendered six runs in 2 2/3 innings. Klub said he has determined the cause of his command issues and has been psyching himself up for game 5. “You don’t want to be kind of caught with your pants down,” he said. You mean, like former Miami Dolphins offensive line coach Chris Foerster and his reenactment of that Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures episode? You know the one.

The Indians will have at least nominally home advantage. Why nominally? The local team is just 13-17 in all Game 5s in the Division Series, including a 6-14 record in the last 15 seasons. the Tribe is, moreover, battered and bruised. Edwin Encarnacion missed games 3 and 4 and his status is unclear for game 5, while Lonnie Chisenhall and Michael Brantley have not completely recovered from their respective injuries.

The Indians are 53-26 in Kluber’s last 79 starts at home, 37-14 in his last 51 starts, and 6-0 in Klubers last 6 starts against the Yankees. The MLB betting total has gone under in four of Cleveland’s last six games.