Boston Red Sox vs Arizona Diamondbacks Picks and Predictions August 25th 2024

From Fenway Park in Boston, we have the Diamondbacks and Red Sox facing off in an interleague matchup. This one gets started at 1:35 PM ET and is being televised on MLBN. The Red Sox are the slight favorites on the money line (-133), while the Diamondbacks are at +113. The over/under line is currently at 9.5 runs.

Arizona comes into the game on a five-game winning streak, and they are 74-56 overall. Boston, meanwhile, is 67-61 and has lost two straight. The Red Sox are currently in third place in the AL East, while the Diamondbacks are second in the NL West. Sunday’s forecast in Boston calls for broken clouds and temperatures in the low 80’s.

Right-hander Merrill Kelly is starting for the Diamondbacks today as he faces the Red Sox on the road. He has made six starts this season and has a record of 3-0 with a 3.63 ERA. Kelly’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.10. Looking back at his last outing, Kelly finished with a no-decision after giving up six earned runs in five innings of work. He was tagged for two homers in that outing. Before that, he had gone 2-0 with a 2.33 ERA in his first four starts. So far, he has allowed a total of four homers this season.

Arizona’s offense has been the best in the league this season, averaging 5.3 runs per game. They have been even better at home, putting up 5.5 runs per contest. Overall, they are 2nd in team batting average at .261 and have the league’s top on-base percentage. The Diamondbacks are also near the top of the league in slugging percentage and OPS.

Christian Walker and Ketel Marte have been the team’s top power threats this season, with Marte’s 30 homers leading the team and Walker’s 23 homers being the 2nd most on the team. Marte also comes into the game with a batting average of .298. Over the team’s last nine games, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is hitting .406 with one home run and seven RBIs.

Right-hander Tanner Houck gets the start for the Red Sox today as he faces the Diamondbacks at home. Houck has made 25 starts this season and has a record of 8-8 with a 3.01 ERA. He most recently faced the Astros, where he finished with a no-decision, going six innings and giving up two earned runs on eight hits. Houck has actually finished with a no-decision in each of his last three outings. He has one complete game shutout this season and 18 quality starts. Per nine innings, Houck is averaging 7.96 strikeouts and just 2.36 walks.

As a team, the Red Sox are 5th in the league in scoring at 4.9 runs per game. They have been even better on the road this season, averaging 5.2 runs per contest. Overall, they are the league’s 5th best home run hitting team and have the league’s top batting average. Boston also does a good job of putting the ball in play, as they have the league’s fewest strikeouts.

Rafael Devers has been the Red Sox’s top power threat this season, as his 27 homers lead the team and is 9th in the majors. He also leads the team with 77 RBIs and is batting .293 for the season. Jarren Duran has also been a key part of the lineup, as he is batting .291 for the season and has 17 homers. Over his last seven games, Duran has gone 8/27 with two homers.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are heading into Sunday’s game at Fenway Park with a chance to sweep the Boston Red Sox and extend their winning streak to six games. After dominating the series with a 12-2 win on Friday and a 4-1 victory on Saturday, the D-backs are continuing their impressive post-All-Star break performance.

D-backs’ Dominance on the Road

The Diamondbacks have been on fire, winning five straight games on the road and taking 11 of their last 12 series. Their only stumble in this stretch was against the Tampa Bay Rays last weekend. Since the All-Star break, Arizona has been nearly unstoppable, posting a 25-8 record that solidifies their status as one of the hottest teams in baseball.

Arizona’s starting pitchers have been a big part of their success in this series. Ryne Nelson and Zac Gallen have combined to allow just two runs on seven hits over 12 innings, effectively shutting down Boston’s offense.

Cora also praised the overall strength of the D-backs, calling them one of the best teams in the league and highlighting their athleticism, baserunning, and ability to produce quality at-bats.

Offensive Contributions and Patience at the Plate

Eugenio Suarez has been a standout for Arizona in the series, driving in seven runs over the first two games. Suarez had five RBIs, including a grand slam, in Friday’s win and added a two-run double on Saturday. The Diamondbacks have also shown great patience at the plate, taking advantage of Boston’s pitching struggles. On Saturday, Arizona scored two runs in the seventh inning without even recording a hit, capitalizing on four walks and a wild pitch.

Sunday’s Pitching Matchup

Sunday’s game features a pitching duel between Arizona’s right-hander Merrill Kelly (3-0, 3.63 ERA) and Boston’s right-hander Tanner Houck (8-8, 3.01 ERA). Kelly has made two starts since returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for 60 days. He was solid in his first start back, allowing two runs in five innings to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, but struggled in his next outing against Tampa Bay, giving up six runs in five innings.

Kelly has a good track record against the Red Sox, holding a 1-1 record with an impressive 1.26 ERA in two starts. Last season, he struck out 10 Boston batters in 6 1/3 innings, allowing just one run.

Houck, on the other hand, has been consistent lately, delivering three straight quality starts. In his last outing, he gave up three runs (two earned) in six innings in a 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros. Houck’s only career start against Arizona came last season when he faced off against Kelly, allowing four runs on six hits in four innings, including home runs to Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo.

Red Sox Injury Update

The Red Sox are expecting outfielder Tyler O’Neill to return to the lineup on Sunday after missing the last three games due to a swollen finger on his left hand. O’Neill’s return could give a boost to a Boston team that has struggled against Arizona’s pitching.

Diamondbacks and Red Sox Set for Series Finale

As the Diamondbacks look to extend their winning streak and complete a sweep of the Red Sox, they’ll rely on continued strong performances from their starting pitching and the timely hitting that has fueled their recent success. With Merrill Kelly on the mound, Arizona is in a strong position to finish their road trip on a high note, while Boston will look to Tanner Houck to help salvage the series and avoid the sweep.

Today’s Diamondbacks and Red Sox game should feature plenty of offense, as this is projected to be the 4th highest-scoring game of the day. Our lean would be towards taking the over. As for a winner, we like the Red Sox to come out on top. Boston starter Tanner Houck has the 5th best odds to pick up a win and is 5th in our projections in strikeouts among today’s starters.