Boston (49-24) at Minnesota (31-37)
When: Tuesday, June 19th 2018
Where: Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
Time: 8:10 ET | TV: NESN, FS North
Opening Odds: Boston -165/7.5
The Minnesota Twins go from one first-place team to the next when they host the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night in the first of three with the best team in the American League. The Twins are coming off a nice series win at AL Central-leading Cleveland over the weekend to move within five games of the Tribe. Minnesota will play the next six games at home, where they own a 17-17 record, but will have a tough task against lefty Chris Sale in the opener. Eduardo Escobar doubled three times for the Twins on Sunday and leads the majors with 30. Boston has been getting contributions from the bottom of their order, which makes them an even more dangerous team from top to bottom. Boston belted three home runs in a 9-3 victory at Seattle on Sunday to earn a split of a four-game series and keep pace with the Yankees atop the AL East. Third baseman Rafael Devers got in on the action Sunday, blasting a three-run homer among two hits, giving him hits in 11 of the last 12 games.
Pitchers: Red Sox – Chris Sale (6-4, 2.75 ERA) | Twins – Jose Berrios (7-5, 3.51)
Sale has rebounded from a couple of tough outings against Atlanta and Houston by allowing a total of two runs and eight hits over 14 innings while striking out 19 against the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore. Sale has already walked 26 batters this season after issuing a total of 43 in 214.1 innings last season. He won both of his starts against Minnesota last season, allowing a total of five runs and eight hits in 12.1 innings while striking out 19.
Berrios is having a solid season to date and has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his last six outings. He followed up a complete-game win over the White Sox on June 7th by allowing one run across six innings at Detroit on Wednesday, but will be test by one of the best lineups in baseball Tuesday. Berrios, who owns 91 strikeouts against 15 walks on the season, lost his lone start against Boston in 2017.
Berrios is turning out to be a pretty good young pitcher and will give the Red Sox bats a test here. Minnesota has been pulling off some nice underdog winners lately, and I think they get another one here at home.
Pick: Twins +150
BETTING TRENDS:
- Red Sox are 7-2 in their last 9 during game 1 of a series.
- Red Sox are 18-6 in their last 24 games following an off day.
- Red Sox are 41-14 in their last 55 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 37-14 in their last 51 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 10-4 in their last 14 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 5-2 in their last 7 games on grass.
- Red Sox are 37-15 in their last 52 Tuesday games.
- Red Sox are 47-20 in their last 67 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Red Sox are 40-18 in their last 58 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Red Sox are 33-15 in their last 48 games following a win.
- Red Sox are 49-23 in their last 72 overall.
- Red Sox are 45-22 in their last 67 road games.
- Red Sox are 10-1 in Sale’s last 11 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Red Sox are 9-2 in Sale’s last 11 Tuesday starts.
- Red Sox are 12-4 in Sale’s last 16 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Red Sox are 8-3 in Sale’s last 11 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Red Sox are 20-8 in Sale’s last 28 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 7-3 in Sale’s last 10 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 17-8 in Sale’s last 25 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Twins are 5-2 in their last 7 Tuesday games.
- Twins are 5-2 in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Twins are 12-5 in their last 17 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Twins are 2-5 in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Twins are 7-19 in their last 26 vs. American League East.
- Twins are 2-7 in their last 9 games following an off day.
- Twins are 1-6 in their last 7 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Twins are 5-0 in Berrios’ last 5 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Twins are 14-2 in Berrios’ last 16 home starts.
- Twins are 4-1 in Berrios’ last 5 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Twins are 4-1 in Berrios’ last 5 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Twins are 9-3 in Berrios’ last 12 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Twins are 1-7 in Berrios’ last 8 Tuesday starts.
- Under is 4-0 in Red Sox last 4 games following an off day.
- Under is 6-0 in Red Sox last 6 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 7-0 in Red Sox last 7 vs. American League Central.
- Under is 5-0 in Red Sox last 5 during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 8-1 in Red Sox last 9 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 10-3 in Red Sox last 13 overall.
- Under is 10-3 in Red Sox last 13 on grass.
- Over is 9-3 in Red Sox last 12 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Under is 6-2 in Red Sox last 8 games following a win.
- Under is 6-2 in Red Sox last 8 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 13-5 in Red Sox last 18 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 5-0 in Sale’s last 5 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 4-0 in Sale’s last 4 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 4-1 in Sale’s last 5 road starts.
- Under is 4-1 in Sale’s last 5 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 7-2 in Sale’s last 9 starts vs. American League Central.
- Over is 7-3 in Sale’s last 10 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0 in Twins last 4 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 8-1 in Twins last 9 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 5-1-1 in Twins last 7 Tuesday games.
- Under is 5-1-1 in Twins last 7 home games.
- Over is 4-1 in Twins last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Over is 8-2 in Twins last 10 vs. American League East.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Twins last 5 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Twins last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Berrios’ last 4 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Over is 4-0-1 in Berrios’ last 5 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 6-1-1 in Berrios’ last 8 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-1-2 in Berrios’ last 7 Tuesday starts.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Berrios’ last 6 starts on grass.
- Under is 4-1 in Berrios’ last 5 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Berrios’ last 6 starts overall.
- Under is 13-4-2 in Berrios’ last 19 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Berrios’ last 5 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Over is 5-1-1 in the last 7 meetings in Minnesota.
- Red Sox are 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
