MLB Baseball BETTING PREVIEW - New York Yankees @ Minnesota Twins

MLB Baseball

2026-09-16 - New York Yankees at Minnesota Twins

A Sports Betting Preview by FirstDown

New York Yankees @ Minnesota Twins
United States : Major League Baseball
Wednesday 16th September 2026 - Scheduled 1:40pm EST
6:40pm (British Time)

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Preview

This has been a productive series for the New York Yankees (88-63) who have clinched a spot in the post-season and who have already secured the victory thanks to taking two straight games. There is still plenty of motivation for the Yankees to keep things moving in a positive direction as they remain 3.5 games out of the lead in the American League East and with eleven games left.

Thursday will be a day off for the New York Yankees before heading into an inter-League series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are also trying to secure a spot in the Playoff. Time is running out for New York when it comes to earning the Divisional crown, and Number 1 Seed in the American League, but they are 6 games ahead of rivals Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card standings and would almost certainly be hosting a Wild Card Round series against them again.

Aaron Judge is expected to be back in the starting lineup as the Yankees refuse to take risks with the best batter on the roster having spent so many months on the sidelines. He did hit a Home Run on Monday and Aaron Judge will be looking to use that shot to build up his rhythm at the plate before the Playoff run begins.

The Yankees will be looking to complete the sweep over the slumping Minnesota Twins (70-81) who are not looking at an inevitable elimination from post-season Baseball.

Minnesota will be handing the ball to Zebby Matthews for the finale of this series and the third year pitcher has a 9-10 record and 4.98 ERA in his twenty-one starts this season.

Zebby Matthews put together a perfect August going 5-0 in the five starts made and giving up just three runs across his last three starts in the month. However, the move into September has been less successful and Matthews has been handed the decision loss in both starts made having allowed nine runs in a little over 7 Innings thrown.

He is making his first start against the New York Yankees since American Independence Day when Zebby Matthews was tagged for four runs and withdrawn in the 5th Inning as he did not factor into the decision.

New York are going to counter with Carlos Rodon who has a 6-3 record and 2.94 ERA in his fourteen starts this season and who is almost certainly going to be part of a strong looking starting rotation for the Yankees in the post-season.

Carlos Rodon had missed around seven weeks of action between June and August, but he is making his sixth start in a row since returning. The pitcher has been given an opportunity to build up the amount of pitches/Innings he is able to throw and Carlos Rodon 2-1 record and 2.25 ERA in those five starts made since his return.

Both wins have been earned in September starts and Carlos Rodon has allowed two runs in a little over 11 Innings thrown across two starts.

He has not faced the Twins in 2026, but Carlos Rodon allowed just three runs in two starts against them in 2025, which covered 13 Innings.

Prediction

These two teams have very different aims for the remainder of 2026 and that has been reflected in the different directions they have been travelling.

Sweeping a series is never easy, but the New York Yankees have scored sixteen runs in the last two days and that kind of batting output should see Carlos Rodon supported for a third straight decision win this month.

The Pick :

Minnesota Twins 2-6 New York Yankees

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back New York Yankees to Win at -145 with EveryGame Sports