The Boston Red Sox are playing host to the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park. This AL showdown will begin at 7:10 p.m. ET and fans looking to watch it can tune in to NBC Sports – California.
Oakland Athletics at Boston Red Sox Odds
Boston (-185) is the favorite against Oakland (+175) and oddsmakers have the Over/Under for this game at 9.5 runs. Odds for betting on the games total sit at -110 for both the over and the under. The games runline odds sit at -125 for betting the Athletics +1.5 runs and +105 for the Red Sox -1.5 runs.
The Athletics are 20-21 SU and are 18-22 against the spread (ATS). They’ve lost 0.2 units for moneyline gamblers in the seasons early going and 7.0 units ATS. The Red Sox, on the other hand, are 28-13 SU and 20-20 ATS. They’ve gained 10.3 units for moneyline bettors while earning 1.0 units ATS.
Red Sox games have had an over/under record of 19-20-1 so far in 2018. The Athletics have an over/under record of 20-18-2.
Daniel Mengden will get the start for Oakland. The right-handed Mengden is 2-4 with a 4.06 ERA and 33 strikeouts. He’s 0-0 with five strikeouts and a 1.42 ERA against Boston this year.
The Red Sox are preparing to start lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (3-0, 4.58 ERA), who has 47 punchouts and 16 walks to his name, as well as a WHIP of 1.21. Rodriguez has yet to face the Athletics this year, but he made two starts against them in 2017, compiling a perfect 2-0 record with a 2.57 ERA and 17 strikeouts.
Boston’s pitchers have yielded 3.8 runs per game overall in 2018 as a unit. Its starters have a 3.65 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.61 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 10.1 K/9.
The Boston offense is putting up 5.4 runs per outing, including 4.8 per game over its last 10 games and 4.6 per game over its last five. The team has slashed .242/.291/.403 over its last five matchups and is 3-2 SU during that stretch.
Mookie Betts has helped lead the Red Sox offense this year with 13 home runs, 27 RBIs, 43 runs and eight steals.
For the visiting squad, Oakland’s pitching staff allowed 4.9 runs per game and its starters own a 4.65 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 7.73 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 3.91, along with a WHIP of 1.22.
The Athletics offense has slashed .249/.323/.422 on its way to 4.5 runs scored per game in 2018, including 3.9 runs per game over the teams last 10 games and 5.0 per game over the teams last five outings (2-3 SU).
Oakland’s offense has been led by Jed Lowrie, who is hitting .331/.385/.564 with nine home runs, 36 RBIs and 17 runs scored. He seemed to have some trouble hitting left-handed pitchers on the road last year. Across 73 such plate appearances, he put up a slash line of .203/.301/.359 (compared to his overall season line of .277/.360/.448).
The Athletics just took the previous game in the series by a score of six runs to five.
Oakland Athletics at Boston Red Sox Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Red Sox, ATS Winner – Athletics, O/U – OVER
Betting Notes
- The under has cashed in four of Oakland’s last seven games.
- The Athletics have hit 12 home runs in their last 10 games, including nine over their last five.
- Boston has posted 23.0 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 22.6 over its last five.
