Boston Red Sox vs Minnesota Twins

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The first game on a busy MLB schedule Tuesday features the Boston Red Sox visiting the Minnesota Twins in a matinee. What do those clubs have in common? They both have spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. The Twins are favored on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Red Sox at Twins MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Tuesday, 2:10 PM ET
Where: Target Field+
Probable pitchers (away/home): Nathan Eovaldi/Kenta Maeda
TV: MLB Extra Innings
Stream/gameday audio: ESPN+; https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
Opening MLB Lines: TBA (Twins will be favored)

Series History

Since the start of 2007, Boston is 11-1-1 in season series against Minnesota. The Red Sox Vivaldi hold a 316-314 edge since the Twins moved to Minnesota prior to the 1961 season. Since the start of 2016, the Sox have scored 8+ runs in 6 of their 12 games at Target Field. In that time, they have out-scored the Twins in Minnesota, 84-43.

Why Bet on Boston? | 2021 MLB Expert Analysis

The Red Sox entered this series on a six-game winning streak after being shockingly swept at home to open the season by Baltimore. This is the Sox’ longest win streak since June 2019 (6 games from 6/12-17). They have not had a longer win streak since 2018 (3 streaks of 8+ games). Over the weekend, the Sox went to Camden Yards and swept three, scoring a season-high 14 runs on Sunday.

Red-hot J.D. Martinez went 4-for-6 with three homers and four RBIs against the Orioles on Sunday in his return to the Red Sox’ starting lineup. Martinez ended up missing only one game due to illness, and made up for lost time by recording his first multi-homer performance since August 23, 2019.

He kicked off the surreal slugfest by going back-to-back with teammate Alex Verdugo in the third inning, lifting an opposite-field blast to right field off Orioles’ starter Jorge Lopez. He tacked on an RBI single in the fifth inning before taking reliever Mac Sceroler deep to right field in the ensuing frame. He closed out the monster three-homer effort with a solo shot off Tyler Wells in the eighth inning.

The 33-year-old has tied a franchise record by recording eight consecutive games with extra-base hits to begin the season. Martinez now leads the majors with five home runs, seven doubles and 16 RBI this year. Third baseman Rafael Devers went 2-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs in Sunday’s win. In the three-game series, Devers went 6-for-13 with three home runs, nine RBI and five runs.

The Red Sox have already won 2 games this season in which they trailed entering the 9th inning (4/6 vs. TB & 4/10 at BAL); they had 1 such win in 2020.

It’s right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (1-1, 1.46) here. Eovaldi pitched seven innings of one-run ball as the Red Sox crushed the Rays 9-2 last Wednesday. Eovaldi has allowed 1 or 0 R in each of his last 6 starts (beginning 8/20/20). He is 4-1 with a 1.08 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in that stretch (33.1 IP, 4 ER, 24 H, 6 BB, 36 SO).

Why Bet on Minnesota? | 2021 MLB Expert Analysis

The Twins are set to get back third baseman and former AL MVP Josh Donaldson. He landed on the injured list on April 3 after suffering a mild right hamstring strain on Opening Day but took six at-bats and played five innings in the field defensively in a simulated game on Sunday.

The Twins lost two of three at home over the weekend to Seattle. Closer Alex Colome melted down Sunday, recording only one out and surrendering a go-ahead three-run homer in an ugly blown save. Colome was charged with protecting a one-run lead in the top of the ninth inning, and proceeded to give up back-to-back singles to Mitch Haniger and Ty France, before coughing up a go-ahead, three-run homer to Kyle Seager. The 32-year-old righty has allowed seven runs (four earned) on nine hits with a 5/0 K/BB ratio across 5 1/3 innings of work this season.

The Twins lost their first series of the season, after defeating Milwaukee (2-1) and Detroit (2-1) to begin the year. They also lost when leading after eight innings for the second time this season (also April 1 at Milwaukee).

Byron Buxton stayed hot Sunday in going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and four RBI. Buxton tormented Mariners’ starter Chris Flexen in this one, slicing a two-run double to right field in the second inning, and also hammering a 428-foot, two-run blast to left-center field in the fifth inning. The 27-year-old outfielder has gotten off to a sizzling start at the plate, slashing .481/.548/1.185 with nine extra-base hits, five of them homers.

Buxton has recorded multiple hits in each of this last three games, matching his career best done thrice (last, July 4-6, 2017). Buxton’s nine extra-base hits tied Cristian Guzmán (2001) for the most XBH through the first nine team games of the season in Twins/Senators history.

It’s Kenta Maeda (1-0, 2.61) on the mound here. Maeda earned the win last Wednesday at Detroit after allowing two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and one walk over six innings. The 31-year-old has given up four runs (three earned) on 13 hits with 11 strikeouts and three walks across 10.1 innings through his first two starts of the season.