SPORTSWAGERS
MLB
Chicago @ BOSTON
Chicago -113 over BOSTON
(Risking 2.26 units - To Win: 2.00)
The Red Sox have lost four in a row and seven of their past eight games. Their only win over that span came against Miguel Gonzalez of the Orioles, a below average pitcher that the Red Sox scored just three runs off of and won the game, 3-2. Boston faced Scott Carroll in the opener of this series, a starter that came into the game with a 5.05 ERA, a 1.61 WHIP and oppBA of .318, and the Red Sox made him look like Clayton Kershaw. Carroll took a one hitter into the seventh and left with two outs. Boston would get one more hit the rest of the night. Now the Red Sox will face Chris Sale. Sale may be the AL’s best pitcher. Current Red Sox have four hits in 41 career AB’s against Sale for a BA of .098. The Red Sox’ three best hitters, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Mike Napoli are a combined 2 for 18 against Sale. What’s even more appealing about Sale here is that the Red Sox are a left-handed heavy lineup with Ortiz, Brock Holt, Jackie Bradley Jr., Stephen Drew, Mike Carp (if he plays) and A.J. Pierzynski all batting left. Chris Sale absolutely smothers lefties, as he has limited them to a ridiculous .057/.108/.057 line. Opposing managers mostly refuse to bat lefties against him but John Ferrell doesn’t have much choice. Catcher David Ross played last night and he’s batting .176 so it really doesn’t matter who Ferrell uses because both Ross and Pierzynski must be rendered useless against Sale.
Rubby De La Rosa goes for the Red Sox and we like this kid. That’s something we can look at later on in the season if the Red Sox snap out of it and De La Rosa has some value. In this game he has none because all the value is on Chris Sale and the South Side spotting a very cheap price.