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The Boston Red Sox (38-35) visit the Minnesota Twins (36-37) for the second of their four-game series. First pitch commences Tuesday at 7:40 p.m. ET. Boston jumped out to an early series lead thanks to their 9-3 win in yesterday's opener – improving to 3-1 against Minnesota for the year. Below we continue our MLB odds series with a Red Sox-Twins prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Here are the Red Sox-Twins MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Red Sox-Twins Odds
Boston Red Sox: +1.5 (-170)
Minnesota Twins: -1.5 (+140)
Over: 8.5 (-115)
Under: 8.5 (-105)
How To Watch Red Sox vs. Twins
TV: NESN, Bally Sports
Stream: MLB.tv
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET/ 4:40 p.m. PT
*See how to watch Red Sox-Twins LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Red Sox Could Cover The Spread
Boston started the season strong before sputtering in May and the beginning of June. However, a three-game sweep of their division rival has the Red Sox right back in the mix with five consecutive wins following last night's opener. The Red Sox may not have the most consistent pitching staff or bullpen, but what they do have is an offense. A good one, at that. Boston ranks sixth in the league with 5.1 runs per game while their .767 OPS ranks seventh. That offense will be much-needed tonight given their troubles on the mound and whether they cover or not will largely come down to how they match up with opposing starter Bailey Ober.
Righty Kutter Crawford (1-3) makes his sixth start of the season for the Red Sox tonight. The 27-year-old has been up and down this season as he's bounced in between the bullpen and starting rotation. In 13 appearances across 40.2 innings, Crawford owns a 4.20 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. He features solid strikeout stuff and strong command thanks to a 41:9 K:BB ratio. Crawford is coming off a disappointing outing, however. In just 4.0 innings against the Rockies, he allowed four runs on five hits and three walks. That short start was nothing new for Crawford as he's only once pitched past the fifth inning and hasn't eclipsed 80 pitches since April 3rd. Although the Twins do perform better against righties compared to lefties, they rank just 20th in runs per game – setting Crawford up for a solid outing.
Alex Verdugo and Justin Turner have hardly been the only noteworthy hitters in Boston's lineup this season but they're certainly the hottest. Verdugo leads the team with a .329 BA this month and he's collected 35 total bases to boot. He's also been their best player against righties this year – against whom Verdugo is batting .321 with a. team-leading 98 total bases. Alongside him, Justin Turner has continued his resurgent season with a blazing-hot month himself. He leads the team with a .933 OPS this month thanks to four home runs and 38 total bases.
Why The Twins Could Cover The Spread
Despite sitting a game under .500, the Twins still sit firmly atop the AL Central thanks to it serving as the single-worst division in the sport. That said, the Guardians have shown signs of life this month and the Twins haven't been playing their best ball of late. After a 16-12 opening month, they've gone just 19-25. After dropping 3/4 against the lowly Tigers at home, the Twins need a bounce back here against the Red Sox. Despite dropping yesterday's opener, the Twins feature one of the strongest pitching staffs in baseball – ranking third in ERA and first in WHIP. Consequently, they'll need to contain the Boston offense if they want to cover as home favorites tonight.
Righty Bailey Ober (4-3) makes his 11th start of the season for the Twins tonight. Ober has been nothing short of a revelation for Minnesota this season thanks to his 2.65 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. Forced into the rotation due to a multitude of injuries, Ober has become one of the most reliable starts in the American League this season. Only once has he allowed more than three runs in a game and he's lasted at least 5.0 innings in all 10 of his starts. While he hasn't shown dominant strikeout stuff, Ober struck out seven in consecutive games against the Brewers and Rays. With a 54:14 K:BB ratio, the 27-year-old Ober is as consistent as they come. The 6'9″ righty does have a tough matchup tonight, however, the Red Sox have struggled away from Fenway (.683 OPS) while Ober has been strong at home (2.97 ERA).
Final Red Sox-Twins Prediction & Pick
Although the Red Sox dominated the opener, I don't see them having as much success against Bailey Ober. Banking on the Twins' offense can be nerve-wracking. However, they won't need to do much with how well Ober's pitched this season.
Final Red Sox-Twins Prediction & Pick: Minnesota Twins -1.5 (+140)
