At 12:35 PM ET, the Twins and Red Sox face off in an AL matchup. This one is being played at Fenway Park in Boston, and the Red Sox are looking to snap a two-game losing streak. However, they are the slight underdog on the money line (+113).
The forecast for Sunday's game in Boston calls for cloudy skies and temperatures in the upper 50s. The over/under line is currently at 7.5 runs, and the Twins are favored on the money line (-135). Nick Pivetta is starting for the Red Sox, and the Twins are going with Pablo Lopez. BSN is carrying this game on TV.
Minnesota vs. Boston Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Twins at Red Sox
- Where: Fenway Park Boston
- Date: Sunday, September 22nd
- Betting Odds MIN -135 | BOS +113 O/U 7.5
Twins vs Red Sox Last Game Recap
It was a low-scoring game in the most recent game of this Twins vs Red Sox series. Minnesota went into the matchup as slight favorites at -120 and squeaked out a 4-2 win. The Twins offense only had one more hit than the Red Sox and struck out eight times, but still picked up a win.
David Festa got the start for the Twins, going just five innings while giving up one hit and one earned run. Scott Blewett came out of the bullpen for the win, and Griffin Jax got the save. Richard Fitts only went five innings for the Red Sox but didn't give up a run.
Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach, Carlos Correa, and Matt Wallner each had two hits for the Twins. Buxton also scored two runs and stole a base. Jarren Duran did the most damage for the Red Sox, going 2/4 with two RBIs.
Twins Preview
Minnesota has an overall record of 81-73 and is currently 3rd in the AL Central, 8 games behind the Guardians. They have a series record of 26-19-4, but have lost their last two series. The Twins' run line record is 72-82, and their games have averaged 9.1 runs per game this season.
As favorites, the Twins are 64-43 straight up, but as underdogs, they have a 17-30 record. Their O/U record is 77-71, and the average total line in their games is 8 runs. So far, 64.3% of their games have had a total line of 7.5 runs.
Pablo López gets the start for the Twins today and comes in with a record of 15-8 and an ERA of 3.84. So far this year, he has made 30 starts, and opponents are batting .243 off the right-hander. López has turned in 18 quality starts and is averaging 9.58 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, going 6 1/3 innings and giving up two earned runs on eight hits. Before that, he had won three straight starts. López has been much better at home, coming in with an ERA of 4.30 compared to 4.73 on the road.
For the season, the Twins are averaging 4.7 runs per game, which is 9th in the league. They have been a better offensive team at home, averaging 4.9 runs per game. As a team, the Twins are batting .248, and they are also 9th in the league in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS.
Carlos Santana has been the Twins' top power threat this season, as he leads the team with 22 homers. He also has driven in 65 runs, which is the best mark on the team. Willi Castro has gone deep 12 times this season and is batting .250. Over his last five games, Castro is 5/17 with four runs scored and one homer. Matt Wallner has also been swinging the bat well, going 7/17 in his last five games.
Red Sox Preview
So far this season, 131 of Boston's games have had over/under lines higher than today's 7.5 runs, which is 85.1% of their games. The under has hit in their last three games, and their overall O/U record is 75-71. The Red Sox are 35-41 at home and have a 41-37 road record. As favorites, they are 41-35, but they are 35-43 as underdogs.
After two straight losses, the Red Sox are in 4th place in the AL East, half a game behind the Rays. They are 14.5 games behind the Yankees, who lead the division. Boston's run line record is 72-82, with a 28-48 mark at home and 44-34 on the road. The average margin of victory in their wins is 3.9 runs, while their average margin of defeat is -3.8 runs.
Right-hander Nick Pivetta gets the start for the Red Sox today as he faces the Twins at home. Pivetta has made 24 starts this year and has a record of 5-11 with a 4.37 ERA. Looking back at his last outing, Pivetta took the loss, going 4 2/3 innings, and giving up four earned runs on six hits. Before that outing, he had turned in three straight starts with just one earned run allowed. Pivetta has a WHIP of 1.13 this season and is averaging 10.88 strikeouts per nine innings. For the year, he has allowed 28 homers.
Heading into today's game, the Red Sox are averaging 4.7 runs per game, which is 9th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road this season, averaging 4.8 runs per contest. Overall, they are 8th in home runs and have the league's top batting average on balls in play. As a team, the Red Sox are also near the top of the league in slugging percentage and OPS.
Rafael Devers has been the team's top run producer this season, with 83 RBIs, and he is also 2nd on the team with 28 homers. Devers is batting .272 for the season. Tyler O'Neill has a team-high 31 homers but is batting just .244. Jarren Duran is hitting .285 and is 3rd on the team with 21 homers.
Twins vs. Red Sox Prediction: Twins ML -135
Our prediction for this Twins vs. Red Sox matchup is to take the Twins on the money line, with the payout being -135. We actually have the Twins winning this one by a score of 5-4, and with the over/under sitting at 7.5 runs, there isn't a lot of wiggle room there.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Pablo Lopez is projected to finish with six strikeouts, and we have Nick Pivetta ending the game with six as well. However, we have Pivetta ending the game with a higher ERA and giving up more hits than Lopez.
