The Boston Red Sox are heading back on the road to San Francisco to take on the Giants for a three-game series. The Red Sox are coming off a sweep of the Major League-leading Atlanta Braves by outscoring them 12-4. The Giants are coming off a two-game series sweep as well as they swept their cross-town rivals, the Oakland A’s; the Giants outscored the A’s 10-4 in those games. The Giants have been up and down since the all-star break, winning five straight right away, then they dropped six straight before taking the two games against the A’s. The Red Sox have been the opposite of the Giants since the All-Star break, having won seven of their 11 games since the break, and in July, they are 14-5 and have also won four straight.
Boston Red Sox (55-47) vs. San Francisco Giants (56-47)
Game 1:
Date: Friday, July 28
Time: 10:15 PM EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 2:
Date: Saturday, July 29
Time: 7:15 PM EST
Broadcast: FOX
Game 3:
Date: Sunday, July 30
Time: 4:05 PM EST
Broadcast: NESN
Projected Starting Pitchers:
Game 1: Kutter Crawford (4-5, 4.04 ERA) vs. Logan Webb (8-8, 3.48 ERA)
Crawford will get the ball to start the series against the Giants, and he is making his 20th appearance and his 12th start of the season. Crawford’s last outing came against the Mets, and he struggled going just four innings giving up four runs; he didn’t issue a walk and struck out two; that game was postponed due to rain. This season Crawford posts a 4.34 FIP, a 1.12 WHIP, a 2.1 BB/9, and an 8.7 K/9. Crawford has never faced the Giants in his career. Logan Webb will oppose Crawford, making his 22nd start of the season; he posts a 3.41 FIP, a 1.11 WHIP, a 1.6 BB/9, and a 9.1 K/9. He struggled in his last start, which came against the Nationals, going just 1.1 innings and giving up six runs on five hits; he walked one and struck out two. Webb has made one start in his career against the Red Sox and went five innings giving up three runs on three hits; he walked four and struck out three in that start.
Game 2: James Paxton (6-2, 3.46 ERA) vs. Anthony DeSclafani (4-8, 4.88 ERA)
Paxton will get the ball in the middle game, making his 13th start of the season. His last start came against the Mets last Saturday, going six innings, giving up three runs, only two earned on three hits; he walked one and struck out seven picking up his sixth win. Paxton this season posts a 3.70 FIP, a 1.00 WHIP, a 2.5 BB/9, and a 10.4 K/9. Paxton has made one start against the Giants in his career and picked up a win going 5.2 innings, giving up three runs on five hits; he walked two and struck out eight. Paxton will face Anthony DeSclafani, who is making his 20th appearance and 19th start. DeSclafani posts a 4.38 FIP, a 1.25 WHIP, a 1.8 BB/9, and a 7.1 K/9. In his last start, he faced the Nationals going 4.1 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits; he walked two and struck out two. He has never faced the Red Sox in his career.
Game 3: Opener vs. Ross Stripling (0-4, 5.78 ERA)
The Red Sox will go with an opener to wrap up the series with the Giants. This is typically the spot where Chris Murphy will be the bulk guy after the opener. Murphy this season has appeared in eight games. In his most recent appearance, he pitched against the Mets, going 3.2 innings, giving up one run on three hits; he walked two and struck out three. Murphy, this season posts a 3.04 FIP, a 1.16 WHIP, a 4.0 BB/9, and a 9.4 K/9. Whoever the Red Sox use as the opener will face Ross Stripling, who is making his 16th appearance and his 11th start of the season. Stripling’s last outing came against the Tigers, and he got hit hard, giving up three runs on ten hits; he didn’t walk anyone and struck out three. Stripling this season posts a 5.28 FIP, a 1.37 WHIP, a 1.7 BB/9, and a 7.0 K/9. Stripling has faced the Red Sox 11 times; all being starts; he is 4-3 with a 4.78 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.
Red Sox vs. Giants Batting Leaders
Series Prediction:
The Red Sox are the hottest team in baseball, and it’s hard to predict them losing a series, and in this series, the pitching matchups seem to favor the Red Sox, especially after two of the three starters for the Giants got roughed up by the Nationals. I could see the Red Sox sweeping this series; the offense has been red hot as it keeps getting hotter outside; the one challenging game may be the finale with an opener, but Stripling has not been good this season. Crawford is also a question mark against Webb, but he has pitched well as of late, aside from the Mets start, so I will confirm a sweep for the Red Sox this weekend; it will be a big sweep for them as they may even be back in the playoff picture when the weekend ends.
