Baltimore Orioles vs Boston Red Sox Picks and Predictions August 16th 2024

Corbin Burnes and the Orioles will host the Red Sox on Friday, with first pitch from Oriole Park at Camden Yards being set for 7:05 PM ET. This game is an AL East matchup, and the Orioles are favored on the money line (-216) compared to the Red Sox at +180. Boston will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak, and they are 63-57 overall.

Friday’s forecast in Baltimore calls for cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid to upper 80s. NESN will be carrying the TV coverage for this Red Sox and Orioles matchup. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs, and tonight’s pitching matchup is Cooper Criswell for the Red Sox and Corbin Burnes for the Orioles.

Boston vs. Baltimore Key Information

Cooper Criswell gets the start for the Red Sox today as he faces the Orioles on the road. So far this season, he has made 13 starts and one of them was a quality start. Criswell’s record for the season is 4-4, and his ERA is 4.02. Looking back at his last outing, Criswell didn’t factor into the decision out of the bullpen. He went two-thirds of an inning in the outing and gave up two earned runs on three hits. Criswell has come out of the bullpen in each of his last four outings.

One of the most impressive things about the Red Sox offense is that they are the league’s best team in terms of batting average, and they have been able to turn that into the 4th best scoring offense in the league. Overall, they are averaging 5 runs per game and have been even better on the road, averaging 5.2 runs per contest. Boston is also one of the league’s best home run-hitting teams, as their 149 homers is 7th in the MLB.

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Rafael Devers has been a key power threat for the Red Sox this season, as his 25 homers is 11th in the league and leads the team. He also has a team-high 72 RBIs and is batting .296. Jarren Duran is 2nd on the team in RBIs (58) and has 14 homers, which is 3rd on the team. Over his last eight games, Ceddanne Rafaela is hitting .385 for the Red Sox.

Corbin Burnes is looking to bounce back from his last outing, where he finished with a no-decision. Against the Rays on August 10th, he gave up three earned runs in six innings of work. Looking back further, Burnes has been very solid, as he has a record of 12-4 and an ERA of 2.71. Opponents are batting just .202 off the right-hander this season. Burnes has made 24 starts, and opponents have hit 16 home runs off him this year. In his 24 starts, he has turned in 19 quality starts. Per nine innings, Burnes is averaging 8.24 strikeouts and just 2.1 walks.

So far this season, the Orioles are the top home run hitting team in the league, and they also come into the game with the league’s top slugging percentage. Overall, they are 3rd in the league in runs per game at 5 runs per contest. Not only is their team batting average strong, but they also have the best isolated power numbers in the league.

Gunnar Henderson has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 9/25 in his last six games with two homers and four RBIs. For the season, he is batting .289 and has gone deep 31 times. Anthony Santander has also been a big power threat for the Orioles, as he is 3rd in the league with 36 homers. However, he has struggled a bit of late, going just 3/21 in his last six games.

For an over/under pick, our lean is on the over, as this is projected to be the 2nd highest-scoring game of the day. As for who is going to take this one straight-up, we have our lean on the Red Sox to pick up the win. Boston’s offense is our top projected offense in the league today, and Cooper Criswell is 4th in our projections in starting pitcher strikeouts.

Orioles Look to Continue Dominance Against Red Sox as Bats Heat Up

The Baltimore Orioles have been displaying their hostile power as of late, situating themselves as solid competitors in the American League East. With their bats warming up, the Orioles expect to expand their predominance over the Boston Red Sox as the two groups go head to head again on Friday night in Baltimore.

Orioles’ Offensive Surge

Baltimore’s offense has been firing on all cylinders, as evidenced by their 5-1 victory over the Red Sox in the series opener on Thursday. This win marked the Orioles’ sixth victory in their last seven meetings against Boston this season. The Orioles’ bats have been relentless, a fact not lost on Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who acknowledged, “They hit the ball hard. They grind at-bats.”

A key factor in the Orioles’ recent success has been the resurgence of their big hitters. Gunnar Henderson, one of Baltimore’s most potent offensive threats, has been on a power surge, hitting home runs in back-to-back games for the first time since late June. Henderson now boasts 31 home runs on the season, a testament to his growing impact in the Orioles’ lineup. “I feel like we’ve been making strides in the right direction,” Henderson said, reflecting on the team’s recent offensive output.

Another crucial player finding his rhythm is Cedric Mullins, who also homered in the series opener. Mullins has been working hard to make adjustments at the plate, and his efforts are starting to pay off. “It has been awesome to make those adjustments and see them incorporate themselves out on the field, staying on that path, staying to the grind, so I can be productive for the team,” Mullins said, expressing his satisfaction with his recent performances.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is optimistic about Mullins’ return to form, noting that his power and defensive prowess make him a game-changer for the team.

“He’s always a power threat,” Hyde said. “He just changes the game for us ’cause it’s premier, premier defense in center field to go with it. He’s playing with some confidence right now, and it’s fun to watch.”

Red Sox Struggles

While the Orioles are on a rise, the Red Sox are battling. They have lost six of their last eight games, including the series opener against Baltimore. The one run they figured out how to score on Thursday matched their most reduced hostile result since the Top pick break. Boston’s offense has been conflicting, and they’ve found it challenging to produce runs, which has been a main consideration in their new pallet.

Boston’s pitching has additionally been under a magnifying glass, especially in dealing with the Orioles’ strong setup. Red Sox supervisor Alex Cora underlined the significance of restricting free passes and causing the Orioles to procure their runs. “They need to acquire it, and that’s what they do,” Cora said. “They’re generally excellent at what they do.” The Red Sox should execute this system successfully on the off chance that they desire to dial back Baltimore’s flooding offense.

Pitching Matchup: Burnes vs. Criswell

The Orioles will send their ace, Corbin Burnes, to the mound for the second game of the series. Burnes has been stellar this season, posting a 12-4 record with a 2.71 ERA. He has been particularly dominant against the Red Sox, holding them to just one earned run over 14 innings in two starts earlier this year. Burnes is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in three career starts against Boston, making him a formidable opponent for the Red Sox lineup.

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On the opposite side, the Red Sox are supposed to begin right-hander Cooper Criswell, who is getting back from the Coronavirus injured list. Criswell has had a blended season, with a 4-4 record and a 4.02 Time. His past excursion against Baltimore was harsh, as he permitted seven sudden spikes in demand for seven hits in only four innings during a 11-3 loss in late May. Criswell should essentially work on his presentation assuming he desires to contain Baltimore’s intense offense.

Key Players to Watch

For the Orioles, Gunnar Henderson and Cedric Mullins will be central participants to look as they keep on driving Baltimore’s offense. Their capacity to convey in grasp minutes has been vital for the Orioles, and their new structure recommends they are prepared to have a huge effect in this series.

The Red Sox will require their pitching staff, especially Criswell, to move forward and contain Baltimore’s huge bats. Moreover, Boston’s offense, which has been conflicting, should figure out how to get through against Burnes on the off chance that they desire to try not to fall further behind in the series.

Conclusion

As the Orioles hope to proceed with their predominance over the Red Sox, their flooding offense and solid pitching give them an unmistakable benefit. The Red Sox, then again, face a difficult task as they attempt to bounce back from their new battles. With Baltimore looking at another success and Boston planning to turn their fortunes around, this matchup vows to be an extraordinary and urgent game for the two groups.