The Orioles and Red Sox meet on Saturday afternoon at Fenway
Baltimore sends Jorge Lopez to the hill, while Chris Sale makes his long-awaited return for Boston
Get the odds, preview, and prediction below
It’s an AL East showdown over the weekend at Fenway Park, with the Baltimore Orioles (38-76, 21-39 away) visiting the Boston Red Sox (67-51, 35-24 home). First-pitch on Saturday is set for 4:10 PM EST.
Righty Jorge Lopez will be looking to build off several impressive starts for Baltimore, while Chris Sale finally returns to the mound for the first time since August of 2019.
Orioles vs Red Sox Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Orioles | +215 | +1.5 (+115) | Ov 9.5 (-105) |
| Boston Red Sox | -265 | -1.5 (-135) | Un 9.5 (-115) |
Odds as of August 13th at DraftKings
Probable Pitchers
Lopez has struggled immensely this season, posting a 3-12 record and 5.75 ERA. However, his recent success is a step in the right direction.
The 28-year-old has allowed a maximum of two runs in three of his last four starts, holding a potent Tampa Bay Rays offense to just two earned last Sunday. Prior to that outing, Lopez limited the Bronx Bombers to one run as well.
However, the Red Sox have his number in 2021. In two appearances against Boston, Lopez has allowed eight earned runs. In fact, in four games versus Saturday’s opponent, the Puerto Rican has a dreadful 8.62 ERA. He’ll be looking to turn that around and keep a cold Sox team at bay.
Lopez vs Sale
Jorge Lopez
VS
Chris Sale*
| 3-12 | Record | 6.11 |
| 5.75 | ERA | 4.40 |
| 108 | Innings Pitched | 147.1 |
| 99 | SO | 218 |
| 48 | BB | 37 |
*Stats from 2019 season; missed 2020 due to Tommy John Surgery
The return of Sale couldn’t have come at a better time for the Red Sox as they continue to slide. The lefty has been away from the mound since August 13th of 2019 but after a lengthy rehab period and a handful of starts in the minor leagues, the seven-time All-Star is finally back in the Boston rotation.
As you can see from the numbers above, his last campaign in the majors wasn’t terrific. But if there is one thing he consistently does, it’s strikeout hitters at a high rate.
In five outings in the minors, Sale posted a 1.35 ERA while striking out 35 batters. His latest appearance in Triple-A leading up to Saturday was impressive, going 4.2 innings, allowing just two hits, and racking up 8 K’s. Sale will be pitching on six days rest in game two of this series and should come out very fresh. His 8-2 record and career 2.57 ERA against Baltimore is also a reason for optimism.
Batting Average vs Starting Pitchers
| Red Sox Hitters | Batting Average vs Lopez | Orioles Hitters | Batting Average vs Sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xander Bogaerts | .286 | Maikel Franco | .200 |
| Franchy Cordero | .250 | Austin Hays | .000 |
| Bobby Dalbec | .000 | Trey Mancini | .400 |
| Rafael Devers | .500 | Richie Martin | .000 |
| Marwin Gonzalez | .111 | Cedric Mullins | .000 |
| Enrique Hernandez | .667 | Anthony Santander | .250 |
| J.D. Martinez | .444 | Pedro Severino | .167 |
| Kevin Plawecki | .333 | Austin Wynns | .000 |
| Hunter Renfroe | .333 | N/A | N/A |
Baltimore is on an awful stretch right now. Before Friday’s series opener, they lost eight straight games, getting swept by the Rays and Detroit Tigers.
Their pitching has been extremely poor, giving up at least five runs during this brutal span. There have also been several blowouts, losing 13-1, 10-3, and 12-3 in the process. Unfortunately, it won’t get much easier against Boston, who took three out of four in their previous series in May at Camden Yards.
The Red Sox have also hit a wall lately, after entering the All-Star Break with the lead in the AL East. Before Friday’s win, Alex Cora’s squad has an 11-15 record in the second half and have won just five of their last 17 games. The offense has failed to produce, while their staff has a 5.38 ERA post-All-Star, which is 25th in the big leagues.
However, Wednesday could’ve been a glimpse into what’s to come from the BoSox. They beat Tampa 20-8, with the bats absolutely erupting. The lineup registered 19 hits in the victory. But, Boston ultimately lost the series finale, 8-1, showing their inconsistencies at the plate.
Orioles vs Red Sox Prediction
The Red Sox scored eight runs in series opener on Friday night against Baltimore and with Lopez on the mound who they’ve absolutely terrorized, I expect Boston to comfortably cover the runline here at Fenway Park. There will be some rust for Sale, but he’ll keep his ballclub in the game.
Pick: Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-135)
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