4:10 pm
September 3

Rangers @ Red Sox

Who will WIN this matchup?

Texas Rangers (58-73)

@ Boston Red Sox (65-68)

 

Starting Pitchers:

Santana (TEX): 3-6; 5.44 ERA

Bello (BOS) 0-4; 7.27 ERA

 

Current odds:

Texas Rangers: (+126)

Boston Red Sox: (-149)

 

• The starting line-up for the Rangers is as follows:

Image

• The starting line-up for the Red Sox is as follows:

• Two games, two types of wins. The Boston Red Sox will look for their third victory to start a four-game set against the visiting Texas Rangers on Saturday after emerging victorious in walk-off and blowout fashions in the first two games.

• Boston banged out 13 hits and had eight two-out RBIs in a 9-1 win on Friday, its third straight victory overall dating back to the Wednesday series finale at Minnesota. The Red Sox won the series opener against Texas 9-8 on Thursday.

• One of those two-out hits was the most memorable as Wong capped the scoring with his first career major league home run, a two-run shot in the seventh inning. Wong, who played in six big-league games last season and five earlier this year, was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Thursday. He led the International League with nine long balls in August.

• Boston’s Xander Bogaerts produced his sixth straight multi-hit game, and Rafael Devers went 2-for-2 with two walks. Devers has reached base in six consecutive plate appearances since snapping an 0-for-24 stretch on Thursday.

• The Red Sox organization’s top-ranked pitching prospect, Brayan Bello (0-4, 7.27 ERA) has shown improvement of late, but he is still looking for his first win. He will try to get it Saturday in his initial appearance against Texas.

• Bello has a 4.50 ERA over his past four outings (two starts) after struggling to the tune of a 10.50 mark over his first four starts. His past two starts have come since he returned from the injured list on Aug. 24 after recovering from a left groin strain.

• He worked four-plus innings of three-run ball Monday against the Twins, allowing just one run over the first four complete frames. The bullpen was unable to strand inherited runners after a pair of walks, surrendering a two-run double to Gio Urshela in the fifth inning, and Bello was saddled with a 4-2 loss. Bello has just five starts under his belt. Each is a learning experience.

• The Rangers are a season-low 15 games below .500 after dropping their sixth straight game on Friday. They still got multiple hits from Nathaniel Lowe for the seventh time in eight games, as well as another RBI from Corey Seager. He has eight RBIs in the past five games.

• Without an announced starting pitcher for Saturday, Texas will have to rely heavily on its bullpen. In the Friday loss, A.J. Alexy worked through 2 1/3 innings after Dallas Keuchel struggled through the first 4 2/3.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Boston Red Sox