Chris Hatfield backs Guardians - Yankees moneyline to +120

Chris Hatfield is backing the guardians - yankees road moneyline on Wednesday, June 3, and would play Cleveland to +120. He is betting that the Guardians can make Gerrit Cole work again while Aaron Judge remains sidelined.

Chris Hatfield and Cole

"I’m backing the Cleveland Guardians moneyline and would play it to +120." Hatfield made that his call in the matchup at Yankee Stadium, where New York was favored at home.

His case starts with Cole's return path. The Yankees right-hander has only two starts back from elbow surgery, and he has opened with just over 12 scoreless innings. That is a clean run on the surface, but it is still a short sample against a Cleveland lineup built to put the ball in play.

Guardians Contact Game

Cleveland entered with the second-lowest whiff rate in the majors at 22.9%, a number that fits the handicap. Against a pitcher still rebuilding after surgery, that kind of contact profile can extend innings and force mistakes rather than easy strikeouts.

The Guardians also had recent road form behind them. They had hit the moneyline in 10 of their last 14 away games, and that travel split gave the pick a firmer base than a simple hunch on one pitcher.

Judge Sidelined, Williams Starts

Aaron Judge remained sidelined, which leaves the Yankees without one of their most dangerous bats in the matchup. Gavin Williams was the Cleveland starter discussed for the game, and the article also noted that last night was the first time the Guardians scored more than four runs in 13 games.

That scoring note adds a wrinkle to the bet. Cleveland does not need a huge night to cash the moneyline at +120, but it does need enough offense to keep pace if Cole settles in early. For bettors, the play is simple: Cleveland was the underdog side worth the price, and Hatfield was willing to buy in at that number.