The Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers were hoping to get off to better starts in this MLB season. Both squads made the playoffs last season and hoped to improve after disappointing exits. Boston is firmly in messy territory, firing manager Alex Cora and most of their coaching staff after a lackluster start. But Detroit hasn’t been much better, scuffling to a .500 record while suffering a devastating injury to their ace, Tarik Skubal. It’s safe to say both teams dearly need a win to start building some momentum.
First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET. The Tigers are -186 moneyline favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, while a Red Sox upset is priced at +153. The game total is set at O/U eight runs.
Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this Red Sox-Tigers game.
Red Sox vs. Tigers Preview
First things first, let’s get to know these starting pitchers.
Jovani Moran takes the mound for the Red Sox in his first start of the year. Brayan Bello was originally scheduled to make the start, but perhaps interim manager Chad Tracy didn’t want to send him out to be the punching bag. Moran is capable of throwing multiple innings and has put up a stout 2.33 ERA on the season in 19.1 innings. His fastball-changeup combo has induced a lot of soft contact this year. It’s unclear if Moran will be asked to throw more than one or two innings, or who jumps in after him, but he can start Boston off on the right foot.
Opposite him is Detroit’s big offseason acquisition, Framber Valdez. So far, so good for the big left-hander in Detroit; the former Astro has a 3.35 ERA through seven starts as a Tiger. The underlying numbers certainly back up his success; high ground-ball and chase rates, combined with a low number of barreled balls, can only mean good things. With Tarik Skubal sidelined for the foreseeable future, they need Framber to be his ace self.
While this Red Sox defense has been something to marvel at (first in team defensive runs saved, first in team outs above average), the offense has been abysmal. Seven of their batters have recorded 100+ plate appearances in the early going, and only two (Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu) have an OPS over .700. The vibes are getting nasty, as the veterans and youngsters seem to be arguing over who’s at fault for the struggles. Not a fun time to be a Sox fan.
Detroit is in a different place offensively. Much like last year, they beat you with lineup depth instead of a couple of big bats. Unlike Boston, they have seven different regulars with an OPS over .700, but their leader has sure been a surprise. Kevin McGonigle, the No. 2 MLB prospect heading into the season, has taken the majors by storm in his debut season. The sweet-swinging shortstop is hitting .315 in the early going with two home runs, 16 RBIs, three stolen bases, and a 19:19 BB/K ratio. It’s safe to say he will be sticking around a while.
Now that we know these teams a bit better, who is going to take this one home?
Red Sox vs. Tigers Pick, Best Bet
Monday’s win by the Red Sox sure felt like an aberration. Things are going to get worse in Beantown before they get better. A feeble offense against an ace is bad enough, but a bullpen game against this deep Tigers lineup reeks of disaster. This should be a lopsided win for the Tigers.
