The Boston Red Sox (40-36) travel to face off against the Cincinnati Reds (36-39) on Saturday, June 22nd. This game will be played at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati and televised on BSOH. The Reds are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Red Sox are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Reds. First pitch is set for 3:10 CT.
Red Sox vs Reds
Cincinnati picked up a 5-2 win over the Red Sox in the most recent game of this series. The Reds had a huge 7th inning, scoring two of their five runs and picking up two of their three homers. As for the Red Sox, they scored their only two runs in the 3rd inning.
Andrew Abbott started for the Reds and picked up the win, going 5 2/3 innings and giving up two earned runs. He finished the game with 10 strikeouts but issued two homers. Kutter Crawford got the start for the Red Sox and took the loss, going 6 1/3 innings and giving up three earned runs.
Jeimer Candelario was the difference for the Reds’ offense, as he went 2/4 with two homers and two RBIs. Jonathan India also had a two-hit game and scored a run for Cincinnati.
Boston is 40-36 overall and is 10 games behind the Yankees in the AL East. So far, they have gone 10-9 in the AL East and have lost the first game of their series vs. the Reds. The Red Sox lost the series opener, and they are 11-9-4 in series this year.
At home, the Red Sox are 18-20 this year and have gone 22-16 on the road. Heading into today’s game, the Red Sox have won three straight series. As the favorite, the Red Sox are 20-15 this year and 20-21 as the underdog.
When the Red Sox win, they win big, with an average run margin of 4.4. When they lose, they lose big, with an average run margin of -3.7. That’s why their run line record is just 36-40 despite a positive overall run differential of 0.6 runs per game. They have been a better bet on the run line on the road (22-16) than at home (14-24).
Today’s over/under line of 9.5 runs is higher than the average line for Boston Red Sox games this season, which is 8 runs. The Red Sox have played 66 games with lower over/under lines than 9.5 runs, and their games have averaged 8.7 runs per game this season. Their over/under record for the season is 34-37.
Nick Pivetta Gets The Start For The Red Sox
Right-hander Nick Pivetta gets the start for the Red Sox today as he faces the Reds on the road. Pivetta has made 10 starts this season and has a record of 4-4 with a 3.88 ERA. His WHIP for the season is currently 1.12. In his last outing, Pivetta picked up the win, going seven innings and giving up three earned runs on four hits. Looking back further, he has turned in four straight quality starts. Pivetta has a record of 3-2 on the road this year with a 3.62 ERA compared to 1-2 with a 5.81 ERA at home.
Red Sox Offense Breakdown
Heading into today’s game, the Red Sox are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 11th in the league. They have been even better on the road, averaging 4.9 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .253, which is 6th in the league, and are the league’s top team in terms of batting average on balls in play. Boston’s offense has also done a good job of avoiding strikeouts, as they are 28th in the league in this category.
Ceddanne Rafaela has been hot of late for the Red Sox, going 12/22 in his last six games with a home run and four RBIs. Rafaela is currently the team’s top run producer, with 41 RBIs. Tyler O’Neill and Rafael Devers are the team’s top power threats, with O’Neill leading the team in homers (15) and Devers not far behind with 14 long balls.
Cincinnati is 36-39 overall and is 7.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central. The Reds are 4th in the division and have gone 9-10 in divisional games this year. The Reds took the first game of their series vs. the Red Sox and have dropped two straight series.
At home, the Reds are 19-19 this year compared to a 17-20 mark on the road. As the favorite, the Reds are 19-13 this year and 17-26 as the underdog. Cincinnati has won two straight at home, and their overall record in the series is 8-14-2.
The Reds have been a solid bet against the run line this season, going 40-35 overall. They have been a better bet on the road, going 24-13 against the run line, compared to 16-22 at home. They have been a good bet as the underdog, going 25-18 against the run line.
When the Cincinnati Reds play at home, the over/under line is set at 9.5 runs. This season, the Reds have had an average combined run average of 8.2 runs per game. Overall, the over/under record for Cincinnati is 31-41, and when the line is set at 9.5 runs, they have gone over 11 times and under 6 times. In 70.7% of their games, the over/under line has been set lower than 9.5 runs, and the under has hit in their last six games.
Frankie Montas Gets The Start For The Reds
Frankie Montas will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Brewers, where he finished with a no-decision. In that start, he gave up three earned runs in five innings of work. Looking back further, Montas has allowed at least three earned runs in three of his last four starts. Montas has a record of 3-5, an ERA of 4.62, and a WHIP of 1.39. Opposing batters are hitting .237 off Montas this season. The right-hander has made four quality starts this year. Per nine innings, Montas is averaging 7.31 strikeouts and 3.88 walks.
Reds Offense Breakdown
Over the past nine games, Jeimer Candelario has been on fire for the Reds, hitting five home runs and batting .394. His 11 RBIs over that stretch have also been a huge boost for the Reds’ offense. For the season, Candelario is batting .255, and his 14 homers are 10th in the league and the best mark on the team.
Spencer Steer comes into the game leading the Reds with 43 RBIs, but he is batting just .234 this season. Elly De La Cruz is also batting .234 and has 12 homers, which is 2nd on the team and 12th in the league. His 31 RBIs are 3rd on the team.
Red Sox vs Reds Prediction
Getting the Red Sox on the money line at -127 is the way we recommend playing this one. We have the Red Sox taking this one by a score of 5-4, and with the payout being better than the Red Sox’s payout on the run line, we recommend sticking with the money line.
Looking at the starting pitchers, our projections have Nick Pivetta finishing with six strikeouts, which has him as the 11th highest among starters today. As for Frankie Montas, we have him finishing with five K’s, which has him as the 13th highest.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:June 24, 2024 Red Sox, Reds