Boston Red Sox Face Houston Astros as Home Underdogs in Matchup
=================================================================
In a crucial American League playoff race game, the Houston Astros will face the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday night. Despite the Red Sox's strong home record and scalding hot offense, sports betting sites are favoring the Astros due to their pitching advantage.
The Astros have maintained a .500 record on the road this season, averaging 4.56 runs per game, the 12th best in Major League Baseball. Their starting pitcher, Hunter Brown, boasts a 9-5 record, a 2.54 ERA, and a 1.00 WHIP through 21 starts this season.
On the other hand, the Red Sox have struggled after their return from the All-Star break, going 2-5 in their first seven games. Cooper Criswell, who has spent most of this season in the minor leagues, will start for the Red Sox. Criswell has pitched just 10 and two thirds innings in relief for the Red Sox this year.
Despite the pitching advantage for Houston, the Red Sox's offense gets a noticeable boost at home, averaging 5.25 runs per game in Boston, the third best mark in the league. The Red Sox have been one of the better home teams in the league, going 34-21 at Fenway Park so far this season.
The Astros are listed as favorites with moneyline odds around -132, while the Red Sox are underdogs around +110. The Astros have a one and a half run spread with +125 odds, and the over/under for the game is 8.0 runs.
While the Red Sox's home field and offense make them competitive, the Astros' superior pitching matchup and overall team metrics lead sportsbooks to slightly favor Houston in this game. The starting pitchers, Hunter Brown for the Astros and Cooper Criswell for the Red Sox, will be key factors in determining the outcome of the game.
The author of the article, Drew Gniadek, is currently a student at Florida State University.
Tags: Boston, Boston Red Sox, Cooper Criswell, Houston Astros, Hunter Brown, Massachusetts, MLB.
- The Astros, despite their average road record, are favored by sports betting sites in the game against the Red Sox mainly because of their pitching advantage, with Hunter Brown being a crucial factor.
- Despite having a viable offense boosted by home games, the Red Sox are considered underdogs in the match, as indicated by the moneyline odds around +110, with the Astros listed as favorites around -132.
- The pitching matchup between Hunter Brown and Cooper Criswell seems to be the deciding factor in this MLB game, considering the Astros' strong pitching performance and the Red Sox's struggles returning from the break.
- NFL and football bettors looking for American-legal sports betting opportunities might find this MLB game interesting, given the odds, the pitching matchup, and the offensive boost the Red Sox get at Fenway Park, making it a close and potentially exciting game.
