The Boston Red Sox are 9 ½ games out of first place in the American League East after just 22 games in the shortened 2020 MLB regular season. Injuries and and the opt-out of Collin McHugh have shredded their starting rotation, and their offense has struggled to keep up. Starting Tuesday, they will host the Philadelphia Phillies for a two-game set. Despite an 8-9 start to the season, the Phillies are only two games out in the National League East, behind both the Marlins and the Braves. Can the Phillies take advantage of the struggles facing the Red Sox? Or will Boston work to spoil Philadelphia’s chances at moving closer to the top of their division?
We have MLB betting predictions for both of the games in this short series.
MLB Series: (August 18-19)
Philadelphia Phillies at Boston Red Sox
Game Details
When: Aug 18, 7:30pm ET / Aug 19, 1:35 pm ET
Where: Fenway Park, Boston
TV: NBC Sports (Tuesday and Wednesday)
Radio: WIP 94.1 FM Philadelphia / WEEI 93.7 FM Boston
Stream/gameday audio:
https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
Game Betting Odds
Probable pitchers (away/home):
Tuesday: Zach Eflin (0-1, 3.60 ERA) (PHI) vs Zack Godley (0-2, 8.16 ERA) (BOS)
Wednesday: Jake Arrieta (1-2, 4.02 ERA) (PHI) vs Kyle Hart (0-0, 22.50 ERA) (BOS)
Phillies vs Red Sox Series | Check the Odds
Who should you pick in Tuesday’s game?
Zach Eflin is picking up plenty of strikeouts (15 in 10 innings over two starts so far). However, he has also given up 11 hits and two walks over that same stretch, along with six runs (four earned). In his outing against Baltimore on August 12, he got tagged for a pair of home runs among seven hits in a game the Phillies would lose, 5-4.
Zack Godley has started four games for the Red Sox but has not made it out of the fourth inning in any of them. In two of those outings, he threw four scoreless innings, against the Mets and the Blue Jays, coming out of the game as he continues to build his stamina. In the other two starts, against the Yankees and the Rays, he was torched for 13 runs on 16 hits, including five home runs, over 6 ⅓ combined innings. His most recent start was on August 12 against the Rays, a 9-5 loss.
So which Godley will show up on Tuesday?
Final Score Prediction:
Philadelphia 7, Boston 5 | Bet on the Game Now!
Who should you pick in Wednesday’s game?
Jake Arrieta continues an inconsistent season in which he has posted one stellar start and two clunkers. His debut against the Yankees saw two home runs and three runs on seven hits in five innings. He followed that up with six shutout innings against the Braves, scattering three hits and a walk while striking out six. In his last start, he was shelled by the Orioles, giving up four runs on seven hits over 4 ⅔ innings, striking out four and walking one. He’s due for a strong start, but can he deliver in the small confines of Fenway Park?
Kyle Hart got shelled in his 2020 debut, giving up five runs on seven hits, including a pair of home runs, in two innings against Tampa Bay on August 13. He got four of his six outs via strikeout, but he also walked three and, when he found the strike zone, found too much of it. Because the Red Sox have so few options for their rotation right now, Hart gets another chance on Wednesday.
It’s hard to see him outpitching Arrieta in this matinee.
Final Score Prediction:
Philadelphia 7, Boston 3 | Bet on the Game Now!
