Orioles @ Red Sox

Who will WIN this matchup?

Baltimore Orioles (80-75)

@ Boston Red Sox (74-81)

Starting Pitchers:

Baumann (BAL): 1-3; 4.32 ERA

Eovaldi (BOS) 5-3; 4.15 ERA

Current odds:

Baltimore Orioles: (+134)

Boston Red Sox: (-156)

• The starting line-up for Baltimore is as follows:

• The starting line-up for Boston is as follows:

• Nathan Eovaldi returns to the mound as the Boston Red Sox host the Baltimore Orioles in the finale of a four-game series and their penultimate homestand of the season on Thursday afternoon. Boston (74-81) has been without Eovaldi (5-3, 4.15 ERA) since Aug. 12 due to right shoulder inflammation. He pitched three innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Worcester on Friday.

• Eovaldi has missed at least 30 games during each of his injury stints this season. Low-back inflammation kept him out for 33 games in June and July. An 11-game winner last year, Eovaldi is also expected to pitch during Boston’s season-ending series against Tampa Bay next week.

• Pitching keyed Boston’s second straight win, as Rich Hill worked six shutout innings and recorded nine of Boston’s 12 total strikeouts in a 3-1 decision on Wednesday.

• There was just enough offense as Abraham Almonte and Alex Verdugo each homered, giving Boston back-to-back wins after a season-long six-game losing streak. Verdugo has hits in eight straight games after going 2-for-4 with two RBIs on Wednesday.

• Eovaldi pitched a complete game in his May 28 home start against Baltimore after pitching seven scoreless innings with three hits and eight strikeouts against the Orioles on April 30. He is 8-2 with a 3.29 ERA in 17 career starts vs. the Orioles.

• The Orioles (80-75) scored 23 runs and hit nine home runs over the first two games of the series, but they managed just a solo shot by Robinson Chirinos on Wednesday.

• Despite rising into the American League playoff picture, the Baltimore offense has been held to one run or less on 31 occasions.

• Anthony Santander will look to bounce back as he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts a game after homering from both sides of the plate for the fourth time this season.

• After Tyler Wells was sidelined last Friday (right shoulder inflammation), Baltimore’s Mike Baumann (1-3, 4.32) will pitch Thursday. He made just his second career start on Saturday, allowing two runs on three hits over four innings in a no-decision against Houston.

• Baumann made just his third career MLB appearance at Fenway Park last season, taking his first loss on Sept. 18, 2021 after allowing five runs and six hits — including a three-run home run by Xander Bogaerts — in two relief innings.

• Keegan Akin helped to save the O’s bullpen Wednesday, working three shutout innings behind Dean Kremer (8-6).