The Boston Red Sox will take on the St. Louis Cardinals for a three-game series this weekend. The Red Sox are coming off a series loss to the Rays, while the Cardinals are coming off a series win over the Angels.
Boston Red Sox (22-22) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (18-25)
Game 1:
Date: Friday, May 17
Time: 8:15 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 2:
Date: Saturday, May 18
Time: 7:15 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 3:
Date: Sunday, May 19
Time: 1:05 pm EST
Broadcast: Roku
Probable Starting Pitchers
Game 1: Brayan Bello (4-1, 3.13 ERA) vs. Kyle Gibson (2-2, 3.67 ERA)
Bello gets the series against the Cardinals started making his seventh shot, he is 4-1 with a 3.13 ERA, a 4.43 FIP, a 1.07 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts in 31.2 innings. He made his return from the injured list on Sunday against the Nationals going five innings giving up two runs on four hits; he walked two and struck out one. Bello has never faced the Cardinals in his career. Gibson goes for the Cardinals he is 2-2 with a 3.67 ERA, a 4.45 FIP, a 1.20 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts in 49 innings. In his last start, he faced the Brewers going five innings giving up two runs on three hits; he walked four and struck out seven. In his career against the Red Sox, he is 4-4 in ten starts with a 3.41 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts in 60.2 innings.
Game 2: Kutter Crawford (2-2, 2.24 ERA) vs. Miles Mikolas (3-5, 6.19 ERA)
Crawford gets the middle game making his tenth start of the year, he is 2-2 with a 2.24 ERA, a 2.68 FIP, a 1.10 WHIP, and 52 strikeouts in 52.1 innings. In his last start, he faced the Rays going six innings giving up four runs on seven hits; he walked one and struck out six. In his career against the Cardinals, he has made one start going four innings giving up four runs on six hits; he didn’t walk anyone and struck out three. Mikolas opposes Crawford he is 3-5 with a 6.19 ERA, a 4.60 FIP, a 1.47 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts in 48 innings. In his last start, he faced the Brewers going six innings giving up three runs on six hits; he walked three and struck out three. In his career against the Red Sox, he has made one start getting a win going six innings giving up one run on four hits; he walked two and didn’t strike anyone out.
Game 3: Nick Pivetta (1-2, 3.48 ERA) vs. Matthew Liberatore (1-1, 4.56 ERA)
Pivetta gets the finale making his fifth start of the season, he is 1-2 with a 3.48 ERA, a 5.07 FIP, a 1.01 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts in 20.2 innings. In his last start, he faced the Rays going 5.2 innings giving up two runs on four hits; he didn’t walk anyone and struck out eight. In his career against the Cardinals, he is 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts in 30.1 innings. Liberatore goes for the Cardinals, he is 1-1 with a 4.56 ERA, a 4.07 FIP, a 1.31 WHIP, and 17 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. In his last start, he faced the Angels going 3.1 innings giving up four runs on five hits; he walked two and struck out one. He has never faced the Red Sox in his career.
Boston Red Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals Leaders
Red Sox:
AVG – Rafael Devers – .281
HR – Tyler O’Neill – 10
RBI – Ceddanne Rafaela – 23
IP – Tanner Houck – 58.0
ERA – Tanner Houck – 2.17
K – Tanner Houck – 57
Cardinals:
AVG – Masyn Winn – .281
HR – Willson Contreras – 6
RBI – Nolan Arenado – 21
IP – Kyle Gibson – 49.0
ERA – Kyle Gibson – 3.67
K – Sonny Gray – 53
Boston Red Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals Numbers
Red Sox
AVG: .242 (14)
OPS: .712 (11)
R: 188 (16)
HR: 45 (14)
ERA: 2.79 (1)
K: 377 (16)
WHIP: 1.12 (3)
Cardinals
AVG: .225 (24)
OPS: .652 (28)
R: 155 (28)
HR: 32 (29)
ERA: 4.39 (23)
K: 361 (21)
WHIP: 1.32 (21)
Wrap Up
The Red Sox have fallen to .500 once again and are now in fourth place in the American League East. They need to find a way to come out of this series with two wins. The Cardinals are seven games under .500 despite their series win earlier this week, don’t let them get hot against you and head to Tampa Bay next week a game over .500 and beat an American League East team. If the Red Sox want to make the playoffs they have to start winning the series they are supposed to and start to tally up some wins against division opponents which they are currently 1-6 at this point in the season.
