Boston Red Sox vs Houston Astros Picks and Predictions August 10th 2024

From Fenway Park in Boston, we have the Astros and Red Sox facing off in an AL matchup. First pitch for this one is set for 4:10 PM ET, and the forecast calls for scattered clouds and temperatures in the mid-80s.

Boston is currently on a two-game losing streak and is 61-53 overall, while the Astros lead the AL West with a record of 60-55. The Red Sox are favored on the money line today (-122), while the Astros’ odds sit at +102. Today’s over/under line is at 10.5 runs.

Houston vs. Boston Key Information

Right-hander Spencer Arrighetti gets the start for the Astros today as he faces the Red Sox on the road. This year, he has made 20 starts and has a record of 4-10 with a 5.33 ERA. Arrighetti’s WHIP for the season is 1.52, and he has allowed a total of 13 home runs. Looking back at his last outing, Arrighetti took the loss, going six innings and giving up one earned run on five hits. Before that, he had given up at least three earned runs in three straight outings. So far, he has made five quality starts.

Yordan Alvarez has been swinging a hot bat of late for the Astros, going 7/18 in his last five games with two homers and four RBIs. Alvarez is currently 12th in the league with 22 homers and has driven in 59 runs this season, which is the 2nd most on the team. Catcher Yainer Diaz has been a pleasant surprise for Houston this season, as he is batting .301 and leads the team with 61 RBIs.

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Alvarez and Diaz will look to keep the Astros’ offense rolling, as they are averaging 4.6 runs per game and have the league’s 3rd best team batting average at .261. Overall, they are the 13th best home run hitting team in the league and have the league’s 3rd fewest strikeouts.

Right-hander Josh Winckowski gets the start for the Red Sox today as he faces the Astros at home. He has made 24 appearances this season and five starts. Winckowski’s ERA for the season is 3.44, along with a record of 2-1. Opponents are batting .260 this season off Winckowski, and his WHIP is 1.41. Looking back at his last outing, he went 2 2/3 innings out of the bullpen and gave up one earned run on one hit. He finished with a no-decision in that outing. In each of his last three outings, Winckowski has finished with a no-decision.

As a team, the Red Sox are averaging 5 runs per game, which is 4th in the league. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5.3 runs per game. Boston’s offense has been one of the best in the league in terms of batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Overall, they are the top-scoring team in the league and have the best OPS in the league.

Rafael Devers has been one of the league’s top power hitters this season, as his 25 home runs are the best mark on the team and 9th in the league. Devers is also 14th in the league with 71 RBIs. Over his last nine games, Wilyer Abreu has three home runs and is batting .280.

For a money line pick, we are leaning towards the Red Sox to come out on top as the home favorite. And as for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over. This game is projected to have the 2nd highest combined run total and 4th most home runs. The Red Sox’s offense is our highest projected offense in terms of runs scored and hits. Josh Winckowski is 5th in our projections in innings pitched.

Astros Look to Extend Winning Streak Against Red Sox

The Houston Astros plan to proceed with their triumphant ways and stretch out their streak to four games as they face the Boston Red Sox on Saturday in the second round of a three-game series at Fenway Park. The Astros seem to have shaken off a hostile downturn that hampered them before in August, and they are presently terminating on all chambers as they enter this crucial stretch of the time.

Astros Warming Up at the Plate

In the wake of attempting to generate offense for a significant part of the month, the Astros have rediscovered their power at the plate. Following a 13-hit execution in a 6-4 triumph over the Texas Officers on Wednesday, Houston’s bats detonated for 16 hits in a 8-4 win over Boston on Friday night. The Astros’ offense was especially strong in the later innings, with seven hits arriving in an unequivocal four-run seventh inning that reversed the situation of the game.

Jose Altuve assumed a vital part in the Astros’ rebound, sending off a two-run grand slam in the seventh inning that tied the game at 3-3. The Astros proceeded to score two additional runs in the inning, assuming command over the game.

“Clearly, attempting to get a disagreement, we were somewhere near two,” Altuve said. “Basically, just put a ball in play. … I’ve been dealing with attempting to drive the ball once more and (have) been getting on base, hitting for power.”

The Astros added three additional runs in the 10th inning, featured by a two-run homer from Yainer Diaz. This hostile resurgence comes after a stretch in which Houston oversaw only 19 runs more than eight games, six of which were misfortunes.

Houston’s capacity to capitalize on Boston’s warm up area was especially noteworthy, as they scored seven sudden spikes in demand for 12 hits in the final three innings.

“We’re getting healthy and we have arms,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It didn’t happen today. I always say that’s a fastbreak offense. When they get going, they get going. … It happens quick. They do a good job putting the ball in play, hitting the ball hard early in counts. They’re very aggressive and today we didn’t do the job.”

Red Sox Struggle with RISP

While the Astros were efficient with their opportunities, the Red Sox struggled in clutch situations, going just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and leaving 10 runners stranded. The inability to come through in key moments cost Boston dearly, as they failed to maintain their early lead and allowed Houston to rally back.

Despite the loss, there were some bright spots for Boston, including Nick Sogard, who continued his strong start since being called up from Triple-A Worcester. Sogard had two hits in the series opener and has now reached base in all six games he has played, boasting a .318 batting average and a .423 on-base percentage.

“He has a pretty good idea of what to swing at,” Cora said of Sogard. “He doesn’t chase. He gets to the fastball. So far it’s been good.”

Arrighetti Takes the Mound for Houston

The Astros will send newbie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (4-10, 5.33 ERA) to the hill on Saturday. In spite of his record, Arrighetti has shown blazes of brightness, most as of late striking out a vocation high 12 players in a 1-0 misfortune to the Tampa Narrows Beams on Sunday. It was the most strikeouts in a game by an Astros pitcher this season.

In that excursion, Arrighetti allowed only one sudden spike in demand for five hits more than six innings, yet the Astros’ offense neglected to offer any help. Regardless of a 3.41 ERA over his last five starts, Houston has lost six successive games when Arrighetti has started, generally because of dull run help.

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Saturday’s start will stamp Arrighetti’s most memorable profession appearance against the Red Sox, and he will be hoping to expand on his new solid exhibitions.

Winckowski to Start for Boston

Boston’s originally scheduled starter, Cooper Criswell, was placed on the COVID-related injured list on Friday, leading the Red Sox to turn to right-hander Josh Winckowski (2-1, 3.44 ERA) for Saturday’s game. Winckowski has primarily been used out of the bullpen this season, but he has made five starts, with the most recent coming on July 6 against the New York Yankees. In that outing, he allowed three runs in 3 2/3 innings.

Winckowski has restricted insight against the Astros, having confronted them in alleviation multiple times last year, during which he recorded a 2.25 ERA and one save.

Looking Ahead

The Astros, presently riding an influx of force, will hope to proceed with their hostile resurgence and secure a series triumph against the Red Sox on Saturday. For Boston, quickly returning from Friday’s misfortune and working on their exhibition with sprinters in scoring position will be vital to keeping pace in the firmly challenged AL East race.

With the two groups battling for crucial successes as the season enters its final stretch, Saturday’s down vows to be one more cutthroat and high-stakes matchup at Fenway Park.