[8:00 PM] Red Sox @ Indians

Who will WIN this matchup?

Boston Red Sox (93-69)

@ Cleveland Indians (94-67)

 

Starting Pitchers:

Porcello (BOS): 22-4; 3.15 ERA

Bauer (CLE) 12-8; 4.26 ERA

 

Last 10 Games Played:

Boston Red Sox: 7-3

Cleveland Indians: 6-4

 

Current odds:

Boston Red Sox: (-135)

Cleveland Indians: (+125)

 

• ESPN simulations have Cleveland as XX% favorites to win the game.

• XX% of sports bets are currently on Boston to win as (XX) favorites.

• Boston’s David Ortiz makes his last playoff run and starts it against a team managed by Terry Francona, who helped guide Ortiz and the Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007. Francona must find a way to work around Ortiz with a pitching staff at less-than full strength when the Cleveland Indians host Boston in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Thursday.

• Porcello emerged as an AL Cy Young candidate in the second half and went 8-1 over his final 11 starts, yielding three or fewer earned runs in each of those outings. The New Jersey native had a string of 11 straight starts completing at least seven innings come to an end in his last two starts as he surrendered a total of six runs and 16 hits in 12 1/3 innings against Tampa Bay and Toronto. Porcello earned a home win over Cleveland on May 22 and is 10-4 with a 3.35 ERA in 22 career starts against the Indians.

• Bauer might have slotted fourth in a fully healthy Cleveland rotation and struggled down the stretch with a 7.20 ERA in his last five starts. The lone quality start in that bunch came Saturday, when the UCLA product held Kansas City to three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out nine in six innings. Bauer faced Boston twice this season – once in relief – and allowed a total of six runs and 10 hits in six innings.

• The Red Sox took the season series 4-2, winning two of three in Cleveland.

• Indians SS Francisco Lindor batted .233 after Sept. 1 and was 6-for-23 against Boston this season.

• Ortiz (38 home runs, 127 RBIs), RF Mookie Betts (31, 113) and 1B Hanley Ramirez (30, 111) became the first trio in franchise history to reach 30 homers and 100 RBIs in the same season

StreakSmarts Pick: Boston Red Sox

Confidence: 5/10

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