The Boston Red Sox will wrap up their home stand with a three-game series against the Houston Astros. The Red Sox are coming in off a series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in which they won just one of the three games and were outscored 19-16. The Houston Astros are coming off a series win against the Tigers in which they took two of three, outscoring Detroit 27-10. The Red Sox split the series with the Astros last week but outscored them 31-22.
Boston Red Sox (69-52) vs. Houston Astros (74-58)
Game 1:
Date: Monday, August 28
Time: 7:10 PM EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 2:
Date: Tuesday, August 29
Time: 7:10 PM EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 3:
Date: Wednesday, August 30
Time: 4:10 PM EST
Broadcast: NESN
Probable Pitching Matchups
Game 1: Chris Sale (5-3, 4.69 ERA) vs. Christian Javier (9-2, 4.52 ERA)
Sale will start the series for the Red Sox, making his 15th start of the season. Sale comes into this one posting a 3.70 FIP, a 1.13 WHIP, a 2.3 BB/9, and an 11.1 K/9. His last start came against these same Astros on Wednesday, and in that start, he went five innings, giving up four runs on six hits; he walked one and struck out nine. Sale will face Christian Javier, who is making his 25th start and posts a 4.73 FIP, a 1.25 WHIP, a 3.2 BB/9, and an 8.1 K/9. Javier started last Monday against the Red Sox, going five innings and giving up three runs on seven hits; he walked three and struck out three.
Game 2: Brayan Bello (10-7, 3.56 ERA) vs. Jose Urquidy (2-3, 5.48 ERA)
Bello will get the middle game of the series, making his 23rd start of the season. Bello posts a 4.30 FIP, a 1.28 WHIP, a 2.4 BB/9, and a 7.4 K/9. Bello’s last start came against the Astros on Thursday in the series finale, in which he went seven innings giving up one run on nine hits; he walked three and struck out four. Bello will face Jose Urquidy for Houston, who is making his 11th appearance and tenth start of the season. He posts a 4.96 FIP, a 1.52 WHIP, a 3.4 BB/9, and a 7.4 K/9. Urquidy started last Wednesday’s game going 4.2 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits; he walked three and struck out one.
Game 3: Kutter Crawford (6-6, 3.65 ERA) vs. J.P. France (9-5, 3.51 ERA)
Crawford gets the ball in the final game of the series. Crawford is making his 26th appearance and 18th start of the season. Crawford posts a 4.09 FIP, a 1.08 WHIP, a 2.2 BB/9, and a 9.0 K/9. Crawford’s last start came on Friday against the Dodgers, in which he went five innings, giving up two runs on four hits, walking one, and striking out seven. In his career against the Astros, Crawford has made one start against the Astros, going six innings and giving up one run on seven hits; he walked one and struck out six. Crawford will face J.P. France, who is making his 20th appearance and 19th start. He posts a 4.37 FIP, a 1.30 WHIP, a 2.7 BB/9, and a 6.8 K/9. France last pitched last Thursday in the series finale against the Red Sox, and he went 2.1 innings, giving up ten runs on 11 hits; he walked two and struck out three.
Red Sox vs. Astros Batting Leaders
Series Prediction:
This is the season for the Boston Red Sox; if they get swept, they will be buried in the American League Wild Card chase. The winner of this series will win the season series between the two teams, and the pitching matchups favor the Red Sox, with the only game in question being the first game of the series. That said, the Red Sox should win two of three this series and take the season series against the Astros.
