Subscribe
Follow Us
Happy Tuesday baseball fans! The last place Boston Red Sox will look for a quick rebound in game two against the Minnesota Twins. Join us for our MLB odds series, where our Red Sox-Twins prediction and pick will be revealed.
After dropping the first contest of the series by a score of 4-2, Boston will seek a little more production on offense this evening. It will be the right-hander in Kutter Crawford, who is 3-5 with a 5.30 ERA in his 11 total starts on the season.
Currently in the midst of a tight division race in the AL Central, the Twins have followed up a six-game losing streak by reeling off four consecutive wins to move within 1.5 games behind the Guardians for first place. Tasked with keeping their winning ways alive, RHP Chris Archer will attempt to put in a solid outing after getting bounced for five runs in only four innings during his last start. On the season, the savvy veteran has struggled with a 2-7 record and a 4.34 ERA.
Here are the Red Sox-Twins MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Red Sox-Twins Odds
Boston Red Sox: +1.5 (-178)
Minnesota Twins: -1.5 (+146)
Over: 8.5 (-122)
Under: 8.5 (+100)
Why The Red Sox Could Cover The Spread
After posting a 3-8 record over the course of their previous 11 games, the Red Sox have officially spiraled. Unlike past teams in the organization's rich history since the turn of the century, there seems to be a lack of magic that some of those great teams possessed. The standing certainly shows this, as the Red Sox sit in last place in the AL East with a 62-67 record and trail the first-place Yankees by 16 games with a month of play left in the regular season. Not to mention, Boston also sits eight games back in the Wild Card race as well.
Despite this season starting to look like a lost cause for Boston, there is still reason to believe that they can cover the spread on the road in Minnesota. To begin, the Red Sox have big names that can provide a pop offensively. On Monday, Boston mustered up ten hits but could only cross the plate twice. In fact, the Red Sox had no issues in reaching base but struggled getting runners home by stranding nine men on the base paths throughout the night. Obviously, this is something that they can't do if they expect to come out on top.
The good news is that Boston has had incredible success against Twins pitcher Chris Archer over the years. Remarkably, Archer is a porous 2-12 all-time with a 5.27 ERA in 21 career starts versus Boston. This could provide a tremendous opportunity for righty Kutter Crawford, as he could receive the necessary run support to come out on top. There is nothing more that Crawford would like, as the starter has accumulated a 7.46 ERA in the month of August after pitching to the tune of a 2.57 ERA in five appearances during July.
Why The Twins Could Cover The Spread
It was only a week ago when it seemed that the Twins' quest for a division title appeared to be bleak, but that was before Minnesota buckled down to go streaking against a slew of teams with sub .500 marks. Now at 66-61, the Twins are in the hunt to take first place back in the division while also holding on to a commanding lead in the Wild Card race. On Monday, it was third-baseman Gio Urshela that played hero ball as he swatted a three-run double in the fifth inning that ultimately was enough for the Twins to secure the win. Even though Minnesota was outhit 10-7 in the ballgame, the Twins came through when it mattered most.
A similar recipe will be needed for the Twins if they are wanting to extend their winning streak to five games and also cover the spread in doing so. For starters, Minnesota can't afford for Archer to be lackluster. While his best days are certainly behind him, the 33-year-old hurler has even seen his struggle back in his Tampa Bay rays whenever he has suited up against the Red Sox in his career. Without a doubt, it will be vital for the Twins to get the best out of their expected starter if they want to make this a game.
Additionally, an offense that has been ranked near the top ten of teams in production could prove to have a say in how Tuesday's matchup plays out. On the season, Minnesota has posted the eighth and ninth best on-base and slugging percentages, so don't be surprised if Minnesota hitters make life difficult for Kutter Crawford at Target Field.
Final Red Sox-Twins Prediction & Pick
On paper, these are two clubs with totally different aspirations heading into September. While the Red Sox would be happy to finish the regular season on a high note, the Twins are in the middle of an intense division race. With that being said, the Twins have been scorching hot and have much more to play for while the Red Sox seem to be slipping into irrelevancy as each day passes. Hammer Minnesota and the spread in this one.
Final Red Sox-Twins Prediction & Pick: Twins -1.5 (+146)
