Red Sox Moneyline (-130)
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- Despite a two-month absence after suffering a stress reaction in his scapula bone, Chris Sale has been impressive since his return on August 11. He has given up two or fewer runs in two of his last three appearances and boasts a 4.75 K/BB ratio over the span.
- After a great start to the 2023 season, Cristian Javier has struggled a bit down the stretch. Javier has a 6.90 ERA over his last nine starts and has walked at least three batters in four of his last six games.
- The Boston Red Sox have been hitting the ball much better lately, and their offense has hit their stride here recently. The team is averaging more than 6.9 runs and 11.7 hits per game since August 17.
The Houston Astros will visit the Boston Red Sox on Monday night in the first of a three-game series. Cristian Javier (9-2, 4.52 ERA) is set to start for Houston, who is coming off a series victory against the Detroit Tigers and is holding on to the American League’s final Wild Card spot. Meanwhile, Chris Sale (5-3, 4.68 ERA) will take the mound for Boston. Now, let’s take a closer look at this Astros vs Red Sox matchup and make our best MLB betting picks for this weekday showdown.
Astros vs Red Sox Betting Pick
Astros vs Red Sox: Red Sox Moneyline (-130)
Why Bet on the Red Sox To Win:
✅ After missing over two months due to a stress reaction in his left shoulder blade, Chris Sale has performed well in the month of August. He has allowed two or fewer runs in two of his three starts and has stuck out 19 batters in just 14.0 innings pitched.
✅ Meanwhile, Astros pitcher Cristian Javier has struggled over the last few months. He has a 6.90 ERA since June 28 and has given up at least one home run in five straight games.
✅ The Red Sox offense seems to have found their groove over the last few weeks. The team is averaging nearly seven runs and 11 hits per game over their last four series.
This game will be played at Fenway Park at 7:10 PM ET on August 28, 2023.
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros enter their matchup against the Red Sox with a 74-58 record on the season. The Astros are currently tied in second place in the AL West with the Texas Rangers; they trail the red-hot Seattle Mariners by 1.0 game for the top spot in their division. However, Houston currently holds the American League’s third and final Wild Card spot, and the team will now look to secure their spot in the postseason for the seventh consecutive year.
The Astros offense has performed well throughout the 2023 MLB regular season. They currently rank among the top 10 teams in batting average, runs scored, and slugging percentage. Houston is led by 8x All-Star second baseman José Altuve, who has missed over half of the team’s games this season due to injuries but is hitting a team-best .314 to go along with a .409 on-base percentage.
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox, on the other hand, are 69-62 on the year. The Red Sox currently sit in fourth place in a crowded AL East division, trailing the Baltimore Orioles by 12.5 games for first place. However, they are just 4.5 games back of the Houston Astros for the American League’s final Wild Card spot. With less than five weeks remaining in the regular season, Boston will look to make a push to avoid missing the playoffs for the fourth time over the last five years.
Like the Houston Astros, the Red Sox have one of the top offenses in all of Major League Baseball. They currently rank third in hits and fifth in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage. However, Boston’s pitching staff has struggled to hold up their end of the bargain, as they currently sit in the bottom half of the league in ERA, WHIP, opponent batting average, and nearly every other major statistical category.
