The Boston Red Sox are starting to run away with the No. 1 spot in the American League East, but they are definitely far from content. They will look to add more to their lead, as they host the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park, starting this Thursday. The Twins are lagging behind the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central, but a series win against the Red Sox will surely be huge boost to their morale.
Starters: Kyle Gibson (4-7, 3.57 ERA) vs. Brian Johnson (1-3, 3.81 ERA)
Pitching:
Gibson picked up a loss in his last start, as he allowed four earned runs on six hits in 5.1 innings of a 6-5 defeat in Kansas City on July 20. He is 2-1 with a 3.91 ERA in five starts this month. Johnson, on the other hand, allowed two runs on five hits in 5.0 innings of a 5-0 road loss to Detroit on July 21. Johnson is 0-1 with a 2.51 ERA in three starts this month.
Hitting:
Mookie Betts is 6-for-12 with three homers vs. Gibson.
Brian Dozier is 9-for-33 at Fenway Park since 2016.
Writer’s Prediction:
Minnesota wins, 5-4.
Game 2: Friday, July 27, 7:10PM ET
Starters: Lance Lynn (7-8, 5.23 ERA) vs. Chris Sale (11-4, 2.13 ERA)
Pitching:
Lynn simply didn’t have it in his last start, allowing three earned runs on three hits and issuing six walks in 5.0 innings of a 4-2 road loss to Kansas City on July. He will look to rebound from that loss in Boston. The Twins, however, are 0-4 in Lynn’s last four road starts. Sale continues to impress, as he netted his fifth win in a row on July 22, when he tossed six scoreless innings and struck out nine during a 9-1 win in Detroit. He is 7-2 with a 2.10 ERA in 13 road starts this year.
Hitting:
Mookie Betts is 4-for-8 with a homer vs. Lynn.
Brian Dozier is 12-for-33 with three home runs vs. Sale.
Writer’s Prediction:
Boston wins, 5-3.
Game 3: Saturday, July 28, 7:10PM ET
Starters: Jake Odorizzi (4-6, 4.37 ERA) vs. Rick Porcello (12-4, 3.93 ERA)
Pitching:
Odorizzi allowed just an earned run on two hits with eight strikeouts in six innings of a 5-3 loss in Kansas City on July 22. The 28-year-old hurler has allowed no more than two earned runs in four of his last five starts. As for Porcello, the 2016 Cy Young Award winner is coming off an excellent start, as he yielded zero runs and six hits in six innings of a 5-3 road win over Baltimore on July 23. He is 3-1 with a 5.57 ERA in four starts this month.
Hitting:
Xander Bogaerts is 9-for-29 vs. Odorizzi
Logan Morrison is 11-for-37 vs. Porcello.
Writer’s Prediction:
Minnesota wins, 6-5.
Game 4: Sunday, July 29, 1:05PM ET
Starters: Jose Berrios (6-6, 4.83 ERA) vs. Drew Pomeranz (10-5, 4.01 ERA)
Pitching:
Berrios was fantastic in his most recent outing, tossing seven scoreless innings and striking out nine in a 5-0 win in Toronto on July 24. Berrios is 2-1 with a 3.71 five starts this July. Pomeranz returned to action after almost two months of absence on July 24 and allowed four earned runs on six hits in 4.2 innings of a 7-6 road loss to the Orioles. The Red Sox are 7-3 in Pomeranz’s last 10 home starts.
Hitting:
Mitch Moreland is 3-for-6 vs. Berrios.
Eddie Rosario is 3-for-4 vs. Porcello.
Writer’s Prediction:
Boston wins, 6-5.
Writer’s Overall Series Prediction
The Twins split this four game series against the Red Sox.
