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The Boston Red Sox and Oakland A’s square off on Friday with first pitch set for 9:40 p.m. EST. The game takes place at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California and will only be available on local TV or through an MLB.tv subscription. Nathan Eovaldi will be starting for the Red Sox, while James Kaprielian will get the nod for the Athletics.
The Red Sox have been disappointing to say the least. They are 24-27 and just 3 games above the Orioles for last place in the AL East. They’re coming off a series split against the Reds, who have been one of the worst teams in baseball. Xander Bogaerts and JD Martinez have been two of the Red Sox best hitters and this is a big year for him. Bogaerts will hit free agency next offseason and could leave Boston. Rafael Devers has been great as well as he’s hitting .341 with 11 home runs and 26 runs batted in. On the mound, Eovaldi has been the Red Sox best pitcher as he is 2-2 with a 3.77 ERA.
Throughout the offseason, the Athletics traded the majority of their big pieces, trying to rebuild their minor league system. This season, they have really struggled at the plate. Elvis Andrus is leading the Athletics in average this season, he’s hitting .247 with three home runs and 11 runs batted in. Getting Ramon Laureano back could help the Athletics a bit, however, I wouldn't be surprised if he’s traded at some point before the deadline. On the mound, Kaprielian has had major struggles as he’s 0-2 with a 5,93 ERA this season.
Red Sox vs. A’s
Pitchers: Nathan Eovaldi vs. James Kaprielian
First pitch: 9:40 p.m. EST
Red Sox local broadcast: NESN
Athletics local broadcast: NBC Sports California
Live stream: MLB.tv (subscription)
Odds, picks & predictions
Point spread: Red Sox -1.5
Run total: 7
Moneyline odds: Red Sox -160, Athletics +140
Moneyline pick: Red Sox -160
The Red Sox have their top guy in Nathan Eovaldi on the mound. While he hasn’t been his best this season, tonight is a great chance for him to lower his ERA. Rafael Devers and JD Martinez have been two of the best hitters in all of baseball, while Xander Bogaerts hasn’t been far off. Against James Kaprielian, the Red Sox very well could be one of the top run-scorers in the MLB for the night.
Player prop pick: Nathan Eovaldi over 5.5 strikeouts (-115)
In three of his last four games, Eovaldi has gone over this total. He’s coming off a spectacular outing against the Orioles where he threw a complete game, so the confidence is there. The Athletics also strike out close to the most in all of the MLB. Look for a quality start for Eovaldi tonight and for him to have at least six strikeouts.
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