MLB Playoffs 2022: Yankees, Astros Likely To Meet In ALCS Rematch, Odds Suggest

The American League Championship Series is likely to feature a familiar matchup. With a 1-0 lead in their respective division series, the New York Yankees and Houston Astros are heavy betting favorites to meet in the next round with a trip to the World Series on the line.

Houston and New York entered the 2022 MLB playoffs atop the AL bracket. Byes for the wild-card round ultimately set up ALDS matchups between the Astros and Seattle Mariners and the Yankees against the Cleveland Guardians. Both road teams missed a chance to put pressure on their opponent in the series opener.

The Astros have -460 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook to eliminate the Mariners and reach their six straight ALCS. The Yankees are overwhelming favorites, as well, given -420 odds to win two more games against the Guardians.

Seattle has +360 odds to win three of the next four games, Cleveland is a +330 underdog before Game 2.

Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez hit a three-run, walk-off home run to deliver the Mariners a heartbreaking 8-7 defeat in Game 1 of the ALDS Tuesday. Houston came back from deficits of 4-0 and 6-2. Seattle was unable to capitalize on scoring six runs against AL Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander in four innings.

The Yankees beat the Guardians 4-1 in Game 1. Cleveland jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning and failed to add another run with the bases loaded and just one out. Harrison Bader tied the game for New York with a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning. A two-run homer by Anthony Rizzo in the sixth inning capped off the Yankees' victory.

Gerrit Cole gave up one run in 6.1 innings for the Yankees, rebounding from last year's disastrous outing in the AL Wild-Card Game.

Framber Valdez is scheduled to get the start for the Astros against Luis Castillo for the Mariners in Game 2 Thursday. The Yankees will send Nestor Cortes to the mound against Shane Bieber.

Castillo threw 7.1 shutout innings in a win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the wild-card round opener. Bieber defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in last round's opener by giving up a single run over 7.2 innings.

The Yankees scored 109 more runs than the Guardians in the regular season and beat Cleveland 5-1 in the season series. The Astros beat the Mariners 12 times in 19 tries before Game 1.

Houston defeated New York in both the 2017 and 2019 ALCS. The first matchup was decided in a Game 7. Three years ago, Jose Altuve's walk-off home run off Aroldis Chapman sent the Astros to the World Series.