Opening Day has come and gone, and baseball season is officially in full swing. All 30 teams played on Thursday, and just 10 teams played Friday, but we are back to a full 15-game slate today.
Today, we will be focusing on the second game of a three-game series between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles. Baltimore took game one of the series 10-9 in an exciting, high-scoring affair. The Red Sox will look to even the season series with their AL East rival.
Red Sox vs. Orioles Betting Pick: Preview
Here are the odds at the time of posting for game two between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles.
Saturday, April 1 MLB Betting Notes, Courtesy of DraftKings
Moneyline: Boston Red Sox -170 vs. Baltimore Orioles +145
Runline: Red Sox -1.5 +105 / Baltimore +1.5 -125
Total: 9 Runs (Over -115 / Under -170)
Game Time: 4:10 pm ET / 1:10 pm PT
Where: Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Weather: 61 degrees with a chance of rain
Red Sox vs. Orioles: Analysis
Baltimore and Boston started off the 2023 MLB season with a bang. The Orioles put up 10 runs, and Boston fell just short with nine of their own. Boston had a chance to tie it in the bottom of the ninth, but unfortunately for Red Sox backers, they could not get it done.
Today, the Red Sox and the Orioles face off for the second game of a three-game series. Chris Sale, who will make his first start since July 17th, will take the mound for the Red Sox. Righty Dean Kremer, who is coming off a solid rookie season, will get the nod for the Orioles in Boston.
Will Boston drop back-to-back games as a favorite to their divisional rival? Let’s dive in.
Red Sox vs. Orioles: Red Sox Preview
After falling behind 10-4 on Thursday, it seemed like Boston may just roll over. However, they put up a good fight, and they ended up losing by one in the ninth, and they even had a great chance to pull off the improbable comeback. Now, Boston will have Sale, their ace, on the hill for the 2nd game of the season. Sale, when healthy, is incredible, but he hasn’t been healthy since 2019.
Sale was an All-Star in every season from 2012-2018, and it sucks to see such a good pitcher have to deal with these issues. In two starts last season, Sale had a 3.18 ERA, a 2.41 FIP, a 1.059 WHIP, and a 7.9 K/9. It is hard to project how many pitches Sale will throw, and how effective he will be, but if he can replicate any of his prime stuff, he is always tough to beat.
Boston’s lineup showed it can still mash, even without JD Martinez and Xander Bogaerts. Yoshida looked worth every penny, and this team fought resiliently to come back and make it a one-score game. The issue with Boston is their pitching; their starters are weak, and so is their bullpen. As we mentioned, if Sale can be even 80% of his old self, Boston will be in a good spot.
Red Sox vs. Orioles: Orioles Preview
Baltimore got their season off on the right foot with a huge win in Boston, but there are still some concerns about the Orioles. For starters, their starting pitching is not great, and their bullpen did not handle Boston’s comeback well at all. This is a young, ascending team, so there is not too much cause for concern, but Baltimore will need to see progression if they want to win 80 games this season.
Dean Kremer was a 27-year-old rookie last year, but he pitched well for the Orioles. In 27 starts, Kremer had a 4.01 ERA, a 4.09 FIP, a 1.5 WAR, an 18.4% K%, a 1.25 WHIP, and a .260 batting average against. In five starts vs the Red Sox in his career, Kremer has a 6.85 ERA, and he went 0-4. On the road last season, Kremer had a 4.40 FIP, a .285 batting average against, and a 1.39 WHIP.
The Orioles’ lineup shined on Thursday, and if they get Sale out of the game early again, they can certainly do it again. Though young, this lineup is legit. It is tough to gauge how effective Sale will be, but it is a safe assumption that the Orioles will face the Red Sox bullpen early – and that is great for Baltimore.
Red Sox vs. Orioles Prediction
As a fan of the sport, I want to see Chris Sale looking like himself again. As a realist, I know it is a tall-task. The Red Sox bullpen can’t be trusted, so even though I do not love Dean Kremer, the edge lies with the Orioles in this matchup.
Prediction: Orioles +1.5 -125
2023 MLB Futures Package and Betting Guide
GoldSheet has released eight futures bets for the 2023 MLB season, so you can get that package here. Also, GoldSheet teamed up with handicappers from WagerTalk and Sportsmemo to produce a 105-page MLB betting guide for the 2023 season. Check out team previews, stat logs, division odds, win totals, and more to help you prepare for the upcoming baseball season.
2023 MLB Transactions
Have you seen the new GoldSheet MLB stat pages? Bookmark goldsheet.com/mlb-player-news for the latest MLB scores, stats, standing, and injury news.
