MLB Baseball
2026-09-19 - New York Yankees at Arizona Diamondbacks
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : Major League Baseball
Saturday 19th September 2026 - Scheduled 8:10pm EST
1:10am (British Time)
Preview
The final series of the regular season had long been circled as being the pivotal one for the Arizona Diamondbacks (80-74) in their bid to secure one of the three Wild Card spots in the National League. However, three losses in a row have just put them under the cosh in the final few days of the regular season and they are trailing the three teams above them in the Wild Card standings by 5 games.
Just eight games remain and so it is becoming a tougher and tougher task for the Diamondbacks who have lost three in a row, including the opener of this series.
Things are much more comfortable for the New York Yankees (89-64) who are closing in on a home series in the Wild Card Round, although the hopes of chasing down the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East are beginning to fade.
The position in the standings is comfortable, but the New York Yankees have continued to deal with a host of injuries in the batting lineup and that is cooling the sense of expectation around the team. At least that is the case from outside of New York and fans of the Yankees will always expect this team to be chasing a World Series crown and not merely making it into the post-season.
Aaron Judge is likely going to sit out the remainder of the regular season having only just returned to action and now picking up a calf issue. That is another blow for the Yankees who are relying on younger players to step up, although a key to the record has been the continued success of the starting rotation.
It is Cam Schlittler who will head to the mound on Saturday and this should be his penultimate start in the regular season. The sophomore pitcher has a 14-6 record and 1.95 ERA in his thirty-one starts for New York this season and Cam Schlittler also had a couple of decent showings in the Playoffs last season, which will give the Yankees plenty of confidence in this pitcher.
Cam Schlittler had a rough outing at the beginning of August, but has bounced back to put together a 4-0 record with a 1.00 ERA in his last seven starts. He has been able to pitch into the Sixth Inning each time as Cam Schlittler prepares to face the Arizona Diamondbacks for the first time.
The Diamondbacks will counter by handing the ball to Brandon Pfaadt who has a 7-3 record and 3.77 ERA in his twenty-seven starts made this season. Arizona need a big effort from Brandon Pfaadt who has followed his last decision win by putting together a 0-2 record and 5.74 ERA in his last five starts.
Brandon Pfaadt did throw into the Seventh Inning last time out, but was roughed up by the Texas Rangers for six runs and took the decision loss as his team's hopes of making the Playoffs dwindle.
The last time Brandon Pfaadt started against the New York Yankees was all the way back in 2023 and he was forced out in the Fifth Inning after giving up four runs.
The Yankees might be missing some key batters, but they still scored nine runs in a win on Friday.
Prediction
There looks to be a significant edge on the starting mound in favour of the New York Yankees and that could see them secure the series win and put the Arizona Diamondbacks on the edge of elimination.
The Pick :
Arizona Diamondbacks 2-6 New York Yankees
