The Boston Red Sox travel to Sacramento tonight to take on the Athletics at Sutter Health Park in what should be a hitter-friendly affair. First pitch is at 9:40 PM ET, and this game has all the ingredients for an offensive showcase.
Patrick Sandoval gets the ball for Boston, and the left-hander has been effective in limited work — 0-0 with a 3.21 ERA across a handful of appearances. But this isn't the same Sandoval who posted a 5+ ERA in previous seasons. He's been relying more on his changeup and cutter, keeping hitters off balance. The issue is that Sandoval hasn't pitched deep into games yet, and the Red Sox bullpen has been erratic, ranking 15th in MLB in ERA. Against a free-swinging A's team, that could be problematic if Boston can't get length from their starter.
Jacob Lopez is on the hill for Oakland, and the numbers are ugly. 5-4 with a 6.12 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. Sutter Health Park has played as a slight hitter's park this season, and Lopez's 2.0 HR/9 rate is terrifying against a Red Sox lineup that ranks 2nd in the AL in runs scored and 3rd in OPS. Rafael Devers is having an MVP-caliber season, Jarren Duran is an on-base machine, and Triston Casas provides left-handed power that Lopez — who has reverse splits — won't be able to neutralize.
The Athletics offense has been better than expected, ranking 11th in the AL in runs scored. Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler provide the pop, and JJ Bleday has emerged as a reliable on-base threat. Sandoval's lack of experience against this A's lineup could lead to early runs, but the Red Sox should be able to match or exceed whatever Oakland produces.
This game screams Over. The total is set at 8.5, and with two questionable pitchers and two lineups that can score in bursts, the Over is the strongest play on the board tonight. Boston scores 5+ on their own against Lopez, and the A's should get 3-4 against Sandoval and the Boston bullpen.
Prediction: Red Sox 7, Athletics 4
Picks: Red Sox ML (-145) and Over 8.5 (-110)
Rebecca Hayes
Rebecca Hayes writes sports features, previews, and event coverage with a focus on the people, trends, and storylines that fans care about.