Guardians vs. Yankees ALDS Game 5 odds: Bettors backing New York heavily behind new starting pitcher Nestor Cortes

The biggest winner of the postponed Game 5 of the ALDS between the Guardians and Yankees on Monday night? That has to be the Houston Astros, as now they get to sit back this afternoon and watch those two teams battle and perhaps empty their bullpens ahead of Game 1 of the ALCS on Wednesday in Houston. Aaron Civale remains the Game 5 starting pitcher for Cleveland, but New York has shifted to Nestor Cortes and is a -170 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook. Click here for model picks.

As of this writing, 86% of the handle on the moneyline at the book is on New York and 74% of the tickets. On the total of 7, 68% of the money is on the Under but 59% of the tickets on the Over. With the southpaw Cortes starting instead of Jameson Taillon, the SportsLine Projection Model has the Yankees now winning in 66% of simulations compared to 61% with Taillon. The Guardians are much worse against left-handers than righties.

Cortes was 12-4 with a 2.44 ERA and 0.92 WHIP during the regular season and 6-1 with a 1.95 ERA at home and 6-0 with a 1.82 ERA during the day. He pitched in Game 2 of this series and took a no-decision, allowing two earned over five innings of work. Taillon took the loss in relief. The rainout may have helped the Yankees much more because their key relievers had been heavily taxed of late.

The Yankees will play a Game 5 in the ALDS for the 11th time in club history and are 5-5 in the previous 10. Aaron Judge has three homers in winner-take-all postseason games, tied for the most in MLB history.

Guardians manager Terry Francona could have turned to former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber on three days rest today but opted to stick with Civale, who was 5-6 with a 4.92 ERA during the year and 0-2 with a 10.00 ERA against the Yankees. Civale, who hasn't pitched in this series, did finish the season 4-0 with a 3.27 ERA in his last 22 innings.

Expect Civale to have a short leash and Francona to lean on his stellar bullpen plenty (and perhaps Bieber). Francona's relievers have given up two earned runs in 25 2/3 playoff innings so far with a 0.70 ERA. That mark is the best through the first six games of a postseason in Cleveland history. Major weapons Emmanuel Clase, Trevor Stephan, James Karinchak and Enyel De Los Santos are all now on multiple days' rest.

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