In the series opener against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox bullpen coughed up four runs in the eighth inning en route to a 6-2 setback at Target Field. Boston dropped to 5-3 on its 10-game road trip, and the club dropped a game for just the fourth time this season in 35 chances when it scored first. The BoSox will attempt to reach the 50-win mark vs the Twinkies on Wednesday. Sportsbooks opened the Twins as +129 home underdogs with a total of 9.
- The Red Sox are 5-2 SU and ATS in their last seven games against the Twins.
- The Red Sox are 7-0 SU in their last seven games with David Price as the starting pitcher.
- The total has gone UNDER in eight of the Twins’ last 10 games against left-handed starting pitchers.
Who has the edge in the pitching matchup?
David Price and Lance Lynn will get the nod in this one. Price (8-4, 3.76 ERA) has surrendered fewer than three runs in six of his last seven starts, going 6-0 in that stretch. The left-hander topped Seattle in his last start thanks to seven innings of one-run ball. The Vanderbilt product is 5-2 with a 3.59 ERA in eight road starts in 2018 and has gone beyond six innings one time in his last five trips to the bump. Price owns a 10-3 career record with a 2.52 ERA in 17 appearances (16 starts) vs the Twins.
Lynn (4-5, 4.98), who posted an 0-3 record with a bloated 8.37 ERA in five April starts, has fared much better of late. The 31-year-old has recorded six quality starts in his eight outings since May 1, including each of the last five, where he’s allowed seven runs over 31.1 innings. Mookie Betts has had Lynn’s number, however, as the slugger is 3-for-5 with a homer against the hurler. Lynn is 0-1 with a 1.89 ERA in three career starts against Boston.
Despite series-opening loss, Red Sox have had success vs Twins
While the first game of the series wasn’t the result Red Sox bettors were looking for, they can take solace in knowing Boston’s recent success against Minnesota. The Red Sox, who are 5-2 SU and ATS in their last seven against Minnesota, have scored 50 runs in that span while limiting the Twins to 23.
Red Sox have been rewarding Price with great run support
Any pitcher who can pitch with the lead is automatically granted some confidence, and Price has had that in spades for the majority of the campaign. The Red Sox are a perfect 7-0 SU in their last seven when Price gets the ball. That’s because Boston has scored 34 runs in that stretch, good enough for an average of 4.9 runs per game. Price has done his part limiting the damage, as the veteran has held opposing teams to 15 runs (2.1 per game). For more info on this stat, visit our pitcher run support page.
