The American League East-leading Boston Red Sox (8-1) will look to extend their winning streak to nine games on Tuesday when they host the New York Yankees (5-5) as solid home favorites.

The Red Sox have not lost since blowing a 4-0 lead in their season opener on March 29 when ace Chris Sale (0-0, 0.82 ERA) left the game after pitching six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.

MLB betting line: The Red Sox opened as -135 favorites (wager $135 to win $100); the total is at seven runs, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)

MLB betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 4.2-4.0, Yankees (MLB picks on every game)

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Why the Yankees can pay on the MLB lines

New York has gotten off to a disappointing start as the preseason favorite to end Boston's two-year reign atop the division.

The Yankees are coming off a series loss to the Baltimore Orioles at home, dropping three of four games after taking two in a row against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Still, they have looked good sometimes and bad others, with their offense often dictating their success.

In their four wins this year, they have averaged nine runs, and they have scored less than five per game in their losses.

The good news is that unbeaten starting pitcher Luis Severino (2-0, 1.38) gets the call for the series opener and has been on the mound in two of the team's four wins.

Why the Red Sox can pay on the MLB lines

Sale has yet to pick up a decision in two starts this season, and he comes into this matchup with extra rest. He has not pitched in a week, with first-year manager Alex Cora opting to give him a break in order to keep him in better shape over the long haul.

Sale will be making his first home start for the Red Sox after pitching on the road in his first two, allowing only one run and six hits in 11 combined innings during that stretch with 15 strikeouts.

Last year, Sale went 7-3 with a 3.16 ERA in 13 starts at Fenway Park.

Smart betting pick

Boston ended last season by losing four of the last six meetings versus New York and then saw its biggest rival advance to the American League Championship Series in the postseason.

The Red Sox have also been hearing how much the Yankees have improved all spring while they have gotten off to one of the best starts in baseball themselves.

While Sale went 0-3 against New York last year, he still had a solid 2.65 ERA and will pick up his first victory of the 2018 campaign at Fenway.

MLB betting trends

The total has gone over in six of New York's last seven games.

Boston is 4-1 in its last five games at home.

Boston is 2-4 in its last six games against New York.

All MLB odds and betting trends courtesy of Bleacher Report's official odds partner, OddsShark. Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for more betting picks and analysis on this week's top games. You can also download the free odds tracker app.