The Boston Red Sox will take on the Cleveland Guardians again this week. The Red Sox are coming off a series sweep over the Pirates, while the Guardians are coming off a series sweep over the A’s.
Boston Red Sox (13-10) vs. Cleveland Guardians (16-6)
Game 1:
Date: Tuesday, April 23
Time: 6:10 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 2:
Date: Wednesday, April 24
Time: 6:10 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 3:
Date: Thursday, April 25
Time: 1:10 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Probable Starting Pitchers
Game 1: Tanner Houck (3-1, 1.35 ERA) vs. Ben Lively (0-1, 3.60 ERA)
Houck gets the ball coming off his dominating performance against this same Guardians team as he went nine innings, he didn’t allow a run on three hits; he didn’t issue a walk and struck out nine. Houck this season is 3-1 with a 1.35 ERA, a 2.04 FIP, a 0.90 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 26.2 innings. In his career against Cleveland including last week’s start he is 1-1 with a 2.22 ERA, a 0.69 WHIP, and 23 strikeouts in 24.1 innings. Lively will oppose Houck again as he went five innings giving up two runs on three hits; he walked one and struck out seven, which was also his first start of the season. He has made three starts in his career against Boston going 1-1 with a 2.55 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts in 17.2 innings.
Game 2: TBD vs. Carlos Carrasco (1-1, 3.44 ERA)
The Red Sox haven’t announced a starter for this one yet. The starter they go with will face Carlos Carrasco who is 1-1 with a 3.44 ERA, a 3.59 FIP, a 1.52 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts in 18.1 innings. His last start came against the Red Sox going 5.2 innings giving up two runs on four hits; he walked three and struck out five. Against the Red Sox now in his career, he is 2-4 with a 7.55 ERA, a 1.98 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in 39.1 innings.
Game 3: Brayan Bello (3-1, 3.04 ERA) vs. Triston McKenzie (2-2, 5.00 ERA)
Bello gets the finale, he is 3-1 with a 3.04 ERA, a 4.11 FIP, a 1.05 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts in 26.2 innings. His last start came against Pittsburgh and he looked dominant going six innings, he didn’t allow a run and only one hit; he walked two and struck out seven. In his lone start against the Guardians in his career he went five innings giving up one run on five hits; he walked two and struck out six. McKenzie gets the ball for Cleveland is 2-2 with a 5.00 ERa, a 6.65 FIP, a 1.61 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts in 18 innings. His last start came against Oakland going five innings giving up a run on three hits; he walked three and struck out six. In his lone start against the Red Sox went seven innings giving up four runs on six hits; he walked one and struck out six.
Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Guardians Leaders
Red Sox:
AVG – Jarren Duran – .281
HR – Tyler O’Neill – 7
RBI – Reese McGuire – 10
IP – Kutter Crawford – 27.1
ERA – Kutter Crawford – 0.66
K – Kutter Crawford – 30
Guardians:
AVG – Steven Kwan – .358
HR – Josh Naylor – 6
RBI – Josh Naylor – 20
IP – Logan Allen – 26.2
ERA – Carlos Carrasco – 3.44
K – Tanner Bibee – 26
Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Guardians Numbers
Red Sox
AVG: .228 (23)
OPS: .702 (16)
R: 103 (12)
HR: 29 (2)
ERA: 2.52 (1)
K: 214 (1)
WHIP: 1.12 (3)
Guardians
AVG: .257 (6)
OPS: .735 (8)
R: 124 (3)
HR: 22 (13)
ERA: 3.03 (4)
K: 209 (4)
WHIP: 1.22 (7)
Wrap Up
The Boston Red Sox are expected to get Tyler O’Neill and Rafael Devers back for this series and should provide a boost to the offense. The Red Sox are also one of the best road teams to start the year as they are 10-3 and have outscored their opponents 68-28 in those 13 games. The Guardians are a good team leading the American League Central but the Red Sox should take two out of three in this series before returning home to improve a 3-7 record at Fenway Park.
