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Boston Red Sox vs Baltimore Orioles: An AL East classic

The Boston Red Sox are visiting the Baltimore Orioles in the series opener today at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Can the Red Sox save the season?

The Boston Red Sox are third in the AL East with a 63-56 record including 34-24 on the road. After losing four straight games, they won two out of three in the series against the Texas Rangers. Boston has a 4.13 ERA, a .244 batting average, a .307 on-base percentage, and 1.25 walks plus hits per inning pitched. Jarren Duran is the best player on the team with 144 hits, and 80 runs while Rafael Devers leads the team with 25 home runs.

Is this the season for the O’s?

The Baltimore Orioles are second in the AL East with a 71-50 record and 35-26 at home. They have won 3 of their last 5 games and are coming off sa 4-1 win over the Washington Nationals. The Orioles have a 3.91 ERA, a .233 batting average, a .302 on-base percentage, and 1.23 walks plus hits per inning pitched. Gunnar Henderson leads the team with 136 hits, 95 runs and 30 home runs.

Betting Trends

The Orioles are 13-7 SU in their last 20 games against teams from the AL East and 1-4 SU in their last 5 games played on Thursday. Baltimore has played over the total run line in 15 of their last 20 games overall, in 4 of their last 5 games against the Red Sox, in 8 of their last 10 home games and in 8 of their loast 11 games against teams from the AL. The Red Sox are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games overall, 1-5 SU in their last 6 games against the Orioles, 9-4 SU in their last 13 games against teams from the AL East and 4-1 SU in their last 5 games played on Thursday. Boston has played over in 16 of their last 19 games overall, in their last 5 games on the road and in 15 of their last 18 games against teams from the AL East.

Prediction and Conclusion

The Baltimore Orioles have a promising season, and they are only half a game behind the New York Yankees for the top spot in the AL East. The Red Sox are third, standing seven games behind the Orioles, and if they want to get closer, this is the series they need to dominate. Looking back at their head-to-head games, the Orioles won five of the last six. They swept the series in Boston at the beginning of the season and dropped only one game at home in the series at the end of May. Today, the Orioles will have Zach Eflin on the mound, who is 8-7 for the season with a 3.83 ERA, 104 K, 129.1 IP, and 1.15 WHIP. The Red Sox will go with Nick Pivetta, who is 5-7 for the season with a 4.44 ERA, 117 K, 95.1 IP, and 1.14 WHIP. Neither pitcher has been particularly reliable this season, so as both teams have gone over in over 80% of their last 20 games overall, we go with over 8.5 runs for this game.