The Red Sox prepare for a weekend showdown with the hated Yankees by battling the Braves to complete a four-game interleague set. Facing the majors worst team is a good opportunity for Boston to pick up a W.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
Following Sunday’s 12-inning, five-hour marathon in Houston to take the series, the Red Sox have a chance to build on that against the worst team in the majors in their first interleague series this season. The Sox and Braves wrap up the four-game set finishing off the two-gamer in Boston on Thursday. The Sox hobbled through their recent homestand going 4-6 against tough AL East competition.
It’s been a streaky year for the Braves, who opened 2016 with nine straight losses, won their next four games, and then followed with five more defeats. Not much was expected from Atlanta as the team is in the middle of a rebuild. And the Braves haven’t disappointed. They’ve played as the underdog in every game and are down 7.73 units on the moneyline, but three of their wins have come on the road.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Jhoulys Chacin (0-1, 3.18 ERA) allowed four runs – three earned – on seven hits over 5.2 innings in a loss to the Mets on Saturday. It was the worst of his three starts this season, a credit to Chacin considering it wasn’t that bad, though it did earn him his first loss of the year.
Chacin has added a cutter to his repertoire and this has seemingly kept hitters off-balance initially. But his average fastball velocity of 89 mph leaves little room for error and, he’s a potential liability the third time through an order.
Boston’s Clay Buchholz (0-2, 6.33 ERA) allowed five runs on six hits and walk while striking out six in Saturday’s 8-3 loss to the Astros. He pitched well but surrendered a grand slam to Colby Rasmus in the fifth inning which was his downfall.
Buchholz has been hurt by home runs as nine of his 15 earned runs allowed have come via the long ball. Overall he’s given up four homers in 21.1 innings after allowing just six in 113.1 innings in 2015. The Sox are now 0-4 in games started by Buchholz, who has allowed five runs in three of those starts.
LIVE BETTING
Bryce Harper hit his ninth home run of the season on Sunday. The Atlanta Braves, combined, have three. No one expected the Braves to be good this season, being a rebuilding year after all, but probably no one expected they’d start out quite this bad. Entering play this week no Brave has hit a home since Drew Stubbs smacked one of Adam Wainwright in the fourth inning of a game on Apr. 10, meaning the Braves have gone over 500 consecutive at-bats without a home run.
Through Sunday’s play, 45 Major Leaguers have four or more homers, meaning 45 Major Leaguers have more home runs than the Braves. The good news for the Braves is they can’t possibly be this bad. They still have some capable hitters. The Braves aren’t about to charge to the top of the NL East standings anytime soon, but their extreme early season struggles represent the trappings of some bad luck, bad timing and a small sample.
QUICK PICK
Taking on the Braves might just be what Buchholz needs to get back on track. Atlanta ranks near the bottom of most offensive statistical categories and the home run ball is missing from the attack. That’s good news for the Sox starter, who has been hurt by the long ball this season. Buchholz has thrown much better his last two outings, though his numbers from Saturday’s start in Houston don’t reflect it.
He was dominant for much of the baseball game until a mistake cost him four runs with one swing. Buchholz claims he feels better than he ever has and the results will follow. He has a good shot at shutting down Atlanta’s attack, since most everybody has.
MLB Odds: Boston 6, Atlanta 2
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