The Boston Red Sox continued their West Coast trip taking on the Oakland A’s. The Red Sox are coming off a series split with the Seattle Mariners, while the A’s are coming off a series loss to the Cleveland Guardians
Boston Red Sox (2-2) vs. Oakland A’s (1-3)
Game 1:
Date: Monday, April 1
Time: 9:40 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 2:
Date: Tuesday, April 2
Time: 9:40 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 3:
Date: Wednesday, April 3
Time: 3:37 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Probable Starting Pitchers
Game 1: Tanner Houck (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Joe Boyle (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Houck will get the ball to start the series against the A’s. This spring he made five appearances with two of those coming as starts going 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts in 15 innings. Last season he made 21 starts going 6-10 with a 5.01 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts in 106 innings. In his career against Oakland, he’s appeared in one game going 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA, a 2.00 WHIP, and two strikeouts in one inning. Joe Boyle will oppose Houck and this spring he made six starts going 1-2 with a 5.89 ERA, a 1.53 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts in 18.1 innings. Last season he made three starts going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA, a 0.81 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts in 16 innings. He has never faced the Red Sox in his career.
Game 2: Brayan Bello (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. Alex Wood (0-1, 16.20 ERA)
Bello will get the start in game two making his second start, he got the ball on Opening Day against Seattle going five innings giving up 2 runs on five hits; he didn’t issue a walk and struck out two. In his career against the A’s, he is 0-1 in one start with a 13.50 ERA, a 1.75 WHIP, and three strikeouts in three innings. Wood will go against Bello, he got the ball for Oakland on Opening Day going 3.1 innings giving up six runs on seven hits; he walked one and struck out three. In his career against the Red Sox, he has appeared in three games with a 2.79 ERA, a 1.55 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts in 9.2 innings.
Game 3: Nick Pivetta (0-1, 1.50 ERA) vs. Ross Stripling (0-1, 7.20 ERA)
Pivetta will get the finale. He made his first start against the Mariners going six innings giving up one run on three hits; he didn’t issue a walk and struck out ten. In his career against Oakland, he is 5-0 in five appearances with a 0.82 ERA, a 0.61 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts in 33 innings. Ross Stripling will get the ball for Oakland and he is making his second start of the season after getting the ball against Cleveland on Friday going five innings giving up five runs, four earned runs on seven hits; he walked two and struck out six. In his career against the Red Sox, he has appeared in 12 games going 4-3 with a 4.47 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts in 54.1 innings.
Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland A’s Leaders
Red Sox:
AVG: Tyler O’Neill – .400
HR: Tyler O’Neill – 2
RBI: Enmanuel Valdez – 3
IP: Nick Pivetta – 6.0
ERA: Kutter Crawford – 0.50
K: Nick Pivetta – 10
A’s
AVG: J.D. Davis – .385
HR: J.D. Davis – 2
RBI: J.D. Davis – 2
IP: Paul Blackburn – 7.0
ERA: Paul Blackburn – 0.00
K: Ross Stripling – 6
Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland A’s Numbers
Red Sox:
AVG: .229 (19)
OPS: .642 (22)
R: 14 (15)
HR: 4 (13)
ERA: 2.04 (2)
K: 45 (4)
WHIP: 0.82 (1)
A’s
AVG: .216 (23)
OPS: .637 (23)
R: 11 (23)
HR: 2 (24)
ERA: 6.00 (23)
K: 27 (22)
WHIP: 1.61 (23)
Wrap Up
The Red Sox this offseason had been talked about as missing pitching but they have one of the best stats for starters to start the 2024 season, if that can continue as they head to Oakland there is no reason this team can’t sweep the A’s. The lineup also needs to continue to produce as they have and not have a game like the second one of the recent series against the Mariners.
