It’s fairly common nowadays for defending World Series champions to have a bit of a hangover early the following season. The Boston Red Sox might be going through that a bit right now as they play the third of a four-game set in Oakland on Wednesday night. Boston comes in as slight MLB Betting favorite.
Red Sox vs Athletics MLB Spread & Prediction
- When: Wednesday, 10:07 PM ET
- Where: Oakland Coliseum
- Probable pitchers (away/home): Nathan Eovaldi/Marco Estrada
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- MLB Spread: Boston Red Sox -1.5 (Total 8.5)
Astros vs Rangers MLB Betting Lines & Game Preview
Why Bet on Boston?
The Sox go with Nathan Eovaldi. Last year with Boston, he went 5-4 with a 2.83 ERA (24 ER/76.1 IP) in 18 appearances (13 starts), including the postseason, after being acquired from Tampa Bay. He led the majors in 2018 with 4 starts in which he threw 6.0+ scoreless innings and allowed 2 or fewer hits. He also led MLB with 3 starts in which he recorded 6.0+ scoreless innings and surrendered 1 or 0 hits. From Sept. 1 last year through the World series, left-handed hitters were just 4-for-53 off him.
The only big-league pitchers in history with more starts than Eovaldi (22) after multiple Tommy John surgeries are Chris Capuano (109) and Tyler Chatwood (72). Among pitchers with 850.0+ IP since the start of 2011, Eovaldi’s average fastball velocity of 96.9 mph is the highest in MLB.
Eovaldi’s first start this season wasn’t great as he was pounded for six runs and three homers in his five innings against the Mariners last Friday but avoided a loss. Eovaldi was hit very hard as the M’s put seven balls in play with an exit velocity of 99.9 mph or greater. On those seven swings, Seattle had two homers, two doubles, a single and a sacrifice fly to the warning track.
“It was strange,” manager Alex Cora said. Eovaldi gave up a leadoff homer to Mallex Smith and never really settled into his outing. Though his velocity was excellent (his four-seamer averaged 96.8 mph and maxed out at 99.5 mph), he wasn’t able to spot his pitches where he wanted to.
The Red Sox are 4-1 in Eovaldi’s last 5 road starts. Boston is 41-14 in their last 55 during game 3 of a series. Boston remains without super-utility player Steve Pearce (calf), who is in extended spring training in Florida. Pearce landed on the 10-day injured list just before Opening Day after suffering a left calf strain in mid-March. “He’s moving well,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “I think he’s getting closer.” The reigning World Series MVP should be ready to join a platoon at first base with Mitch Moreland within about a week or so.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 4.00
- Hits: 8.00
- Walks: 3.00
- Strike Outs: 8.50
Defense
- Runs: 7.00
- Hits: 9.00
- Walks: 4.00
- Strike Outs: 9.17
Why Bet on Oakland?
The A’s went 14-8 (.636) this spring, which was the best record in the majors. It marked the first time Oakland finished Spring Training with a winning record since going 22-11-2 in 2015. The.636 winning percentage was the seventh best mark in Oakland history and the best since 2015.
Khris Davis hit five home runs in the first seven games of the season. He joined Mark McGwire (5 in 1992) and Reggie Jackson (5 in 1974) as the only A’s with at least five home runs in the first seven games of the season. The A’s hit 12 home runs in their first seven games, trailing only the 1994 A’s (15) for most in Oakland A’s history.
On the eve of the season, the A’s acquired DH Kendrys Morales from Toronto. Morales, 35, hit .249 with 21 home runs, 57 RBI and a .331 on-base percentage in 130 games played with Toronto in 2018. He put together an MLB-leading seven-game home run streak from Aug. 19-26 (8 HR) last year, earning American League Player of the Week honors. Morales is playing first base while Matt Olson is on the injured list with his hand injury.
It’s Marco Estrada on the mound for Oakland, and he was denied a win after shutting out the Angels for six innings last Friday. Estrada left with a 2-0 lead, but the A’s pen let him down in the eighth. Estrada didn’t allow a runner until the fourth when Justin Bour reached on a strikeout-wild pitch with two outs; the Angels then loaded the bases when Andrelton Simmons singled and Albert Pujols walked. Estrada got out of it by getting Zack Cozart to ground out, and Estrada did more fancy work in the sixth, getting Simmons to hit into an inning-ending double play.
“It’s nice to have a big ballpark, especially with a guy like myself who gets a lot of flyballs,” Estrada said. “It’s not only the ballpark but it’s the defense behind me — every ball that was up in the air, I knew it would be caught.”
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 3.88
- Hits: 7.38
- Walks: 2.88
- Strike Outs: 6.62
Defense
- Runs: 2.88
- Hits: 6.12
- Walks: 3.12
- Strike Outs: 7.50
SF Giants vs LA Dodgers MLB Odds, Game Preview & Prediction
Red Sox vs Athletics MLB Betting Trends
- Over is 7-0 in Athletics last 7 Wednesday games
- Boston is 15-8 ATS in its last 23 games on the road
- Boston is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
- Boston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
- Oakland is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
- Oakland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oakland’s last 5 games at home
Expert Final Score Prediction for Red Sox vs Athletics
Boston Red Sox 3 – Oakland Athletics 4
