The Boston Red Sox will take on the Washington Nationals this weekend. The Red Sox are coming off being swept by the Braves, while the Nationals are coming off a series split with the Orioles.
Boston Red Sox (19-18) vs. Washington Nationals (18-18)
Game 1:
Date: Friday, May 10
Time: 7:10 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 2:
Date: Saturday, May 11
Time: 4:10 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 3:
Date: Sunday, May 12
Time: 1:35 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Probable Starting Pitchers
Game 1: Tanner Houck (3-3, 1.99 ERA) vs. Patrick Corbin (0-3, 6.45 ERA)
Houck gets the first game he is making his eighth start of the season, he is 3-3 with a 1.99 ERA, a 2.08 FIP, a 0.97 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts in 45.1 innings. In his last start, he faced the Twins going six innings giving up four runs, three of which were earned on six hits; he walked two and struck out five. In his career against the Nationals, he’s made one start going five shutout innings, he didn’t allow a walk or a hit and struck out eight. Corbin goes for the Nationals, he is 0-3 with a 6.45 ERA, a 4.40 FIP, a 1.80 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts in 37.2 innings. In his last start, he faced the Blue Jays going six innings giving up three runs on six hits; he walked two and struck out three. In his career against the Red Sox, he is 1-2 with a 5.27 ERA, a 1.68 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts in 13.2 innings.
Game 2: Cooper Criswell (2-1, 1.74 ERA) vs. Jake Irvin (2-3, 3.72 ERA)
Criswell gets the middle game for Boston, and he will make his fifth start of the season and his sixth overall appearance. He is 2-1 with a 1.74 ERA, a 3.59 FIP, a 1.06 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts in 20.2 innings. In his last start, he faced the Twins going 4.1 innings giving up one run on five hits; he walked one and struck out five. He has never faced the Nationals in his career. Irvin gets the ball for the Nationals, he is 2-3 with a 3.72 ERA, a 3.23 FIP, a 1.19 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts in 38.2 innings. In his last start, he faced the Blue Jays going five innings, giving up four runs, none of them were earned on five hits; he walked one and struck out four. He has never faced the Red Sox in his career.
Game 3: Brayan Bello (3-1, 3.04 ERA) vs. MacKenzie Gore (2-3, 3.44 ERA)
Bello is expected to make his return in the finale, he was 3-1 with a 3.04 ERA, a 4.06 FIP, 1.05 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts in 26.2 innings before his injury. In his rehab start on Tuesday, he went 2.2 innings giving up three runs, two of which were earned on four hits; he walked two and struck out five. Before the injury he had his best outing of the season coming against the Pirates in which he went six shutout innings giving up one hit; he walked two and struck out seven. He has never faced the Nationals in his career. Gore gets the finale for Washington, he is 2-3 with a 3.44 ERA, a 3.07 FIP, a 1.47 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts in 34 innings. In his last start, he faced the Blue Jays going three innings, giving up six runs, two of which were earned on six hits; he walked two and struck out four. He has made one start against the Red Sox in his career going 6.1 innings, he didn’t allow a run on a hit; he walked two and struck out seven.
Boston Red Sox vs. Washington Nationals Leaders
Red Sox:
AVG – Rafael Devers – .289
HR – Tyler O’Neill – 9
RBI – Ceddanne Rafaela – 20
IP – Kutter Crawford – 46.1
ERA – Kutter Crawford – 1.75
K – Tanner Houck – 46
Nationals:
AVG – Luis Garcia Jr. – .321
HR – CJ Abrams – 7
RBI – Luis Garcia Jr. – 20
IP – Jake Irvin – 38.2
ERA – Trevor Williams – 1.96
K – MacKenzie Gore – 42
Boston Red Sox vs. Washington Nationals Numbers
Red Sox
AVG: .244 (12)
OPS: .721 (11)
R: 164 (14)
HR: 38 (13)
ERA: 2.72 (1)
K: 307 (19)
WHIP: 1.12 (5)
Nationals
AVG: .231 (21)
OPS: .679 (19)
R: 151 (21)
HR: 32 (22)
ERA: 3.94 (14)
K: 292 (23)
WHIP: 1.37 (25)
Wrap Up
The Boston Red Sox have a chance to end this weekend with a series win based on the pitching matchups, they should realistically sweep this series and it could be a series that helps the offense build some momentum heading into a series against an American League East rival in the Tampa Bay Rays. It will also be good to see four of the five starters back and even Criswell has looked good as the number five with Garrett Whitlock out, things are starting to go right for the Red Sox now despite being swept by the Braves, it’s time to move forward in the 2024 season.
