Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels | Odds, Preview, & Prediction | Wednesday, May 4th
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels Preview: Red Sox take care of business in Fenway
The Boston Red Sox will play host to the Los Angeles Angels in the second game of this three-game set. Last night, the Red Sox shutout the Angels offense in a 4-0 victory in front of the Fenway faithful. These teams have begun their seasons on opposite ends of the spectrum. The Red Sox have not had the success that fans expected, and the Angels have done far better than fans expected. Tonight, the two teams faceoff in the most historic ballpark in the MLB, Fenway Park. The key to both teams coming out on top is getting a quality start out of their pitchers and timely offensive production.
Below, you will find a brief preview of each team followed by a prediction for the game.
Boston Red Sox Preview:
The Boston Red Sox stumbled out to a 10-14 record to start the year. The problem for Boston so far this season has surprisingly been the offense. When the Red Sox signed Trevor Story, many MLB fans thought the Red Sox lineup would be one of the most dangerous in the league. With J.D. Martinez, Rafeal Devers, Xander Boegaerts, and Trevor Story, the offensive talent that Boston possesses is obvious. However, it has been the pitching staff that has kept this team afloat.
The pitching hasn't been spectacular, but it's been good enough to keep Boston in close contests. Both the pitching staff and bullpen numbers sit in the middle of the pack, which is much better than expected. The obvious knock on Boston is the lack of quality starting pitching that can provide enough quality starts to be competitive for a full season. However, one of Boston's most effective pitchers thus far will be on the mound in Fenway Park. Garrett Whitlock takes to the hill tonight trying to replicate the performance he saw Michael Wacha put on last night. Whitlock is a versatile second-year pitcher who spends time in both the starting rotation and the bullpen.
Still in awe of Xander's defensive gem. https://t.co/YivD6fQfmV
"Still in awe of Xander's defensive gem." - @ RedSox
Through two starts and four bullpen appearances, Whitlock has only allowed one run, which equates to a 0.54 ERA.
Los Angeles Angels Preview:
FINAL: Angels 0, Red Sox 4 https://t.co/kvgxHZPUBj
"FINAL: Angels 0, Red Sox 4" - @ Los Angeles Angels
Led by the great Mike Trout and reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Angels offense has carried the team to a 14-7 start to the season. After a few tough losses, they currently sit at 15-10, atop the American League West. Over the last five games, the Angels offense has cooled off after their scorching hot start. Los Angeles has lost three out of their last five, and have failed to score a single run in those three losses. Reid Detmers will get the start for the Angels tonight and has had a rocky start to the year. Detmers has given up at least two earned runs in three out of his four starts, and failed to make it deep into the game in all four starts. The LA Angels have been a solid team, but haven't seen similar offensive and pitching efficiency that they saw in the first 10 games of the season.
Prediction/Pick: Boston Red Sox First 5 -0.5 (+105)
Went with the Boston Red Sox to win the first five innings. Given Whitlock's success and the Angels' offensive struggles, this bet makes a lot of sense at plus money. The Red Sox have a great matchup with Detmers and they should be able to put up a few runs in the early stages to give Whitlock his support. Let's go Red Sox!