The Boston Red Sox haven’t been the mediocre product that many dubbed them for — at least to start the MLB season.
They might have dropped the first two games of their opening homestand to the Baltimore Orioles, but they still remain No. 1 overall in ERA.
Let’s take a look at Thursday night’s series finale and make a pick.
| Team | Run Line | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orioles | -1.5 (+130) | -122 | o8.5 (-114) |
| Red Sox | +1.5 (-160) | +104 | u8.5 (-106) |
The Red Sox fell behind the bright and exciting Orioles by a half-game in the AL East following their 7-5 defeat Wednesday.
The Sox have drawn first blood and subsequently relinquished the lead in both games, struggling to contain the O’s aggressive plate approaches.
In comes Garrett Whitlock, who’s been lights out through his first two starts, maintaining a 0.96 ERA in 9 1/3 innings.
Whitlock has undergone some slight regression since his breakthrough rookie season in 2021, but his pitching arsenal looks fresh with five effective options.
The 28-year-old right-hander has limited hot contact and has only allowed one run, striking out hitters at a 30.8 percent rate.
Whitlock boasts an impressive resume in his career against Baltimore, collecting 26 strikeouts in 11 appearances for a 1.50 ERA.
Grayson Rodriguez should continue to give Boston batters a tough go at the plate. The blossoming top prospect has been slinging high velocity and fooling bats with a 32.7 strikeout percentage.
Rodriguez is looking for redemption from his lone start against Boston last year in which he allowed four runs, but struck out six.
The Red Sox are looking to avoid a sweep in their first AL East series of the season.
This game is primed to showcase a back-and-forth pitching clinic, as I expect Whitlock and Rodriguez to keep opposing offenses in check.
If not, Boston and Baltimore have enough staff support behind them, both ranking within the top 10 of bullpen ERA.