The Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox meet Saturday in MLB doubleheader action from Fenway Park. These will be the second and third installments in a four-game series. On Friday in the opener, the Orioles posted a four-run victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
This week Baltimore managed a win over the Yankees on Monday before losing the other two games in the series. On Friday against the Sox, the O’s scored 10 runs in the final three innings during a wild 12-8 win.
It’s looking like the Orioles will send out Jordan Lyles for the game one start. Lyles is 3-4 this year over nine starts with a 4.10 ERA. As for game two the O’s will go with Denyi Reyes. Bruce Zimmerman is slotted in for Sunday and Tyler Wells should be the starter Monday.
Over on the Red Sox’ side, they did well in the Laundry Series this week against the White Sox with wins on Tuesday and Thursday. In the Friday game, Boston managed 14 team hits and six runs in the first two frames but still lost.
Nathan Eovaldi will take the mound for the Sox on Saturday for game one. Eovaldi is 1-2 this year with a 4.10 ERA and 53 Ks. In game two, it’ll be Josh Winckowski as the starter for the Sox. This will be Winckowski’s Major League debut. He came over in the Andrew Benintendi trade last year.
The Orioles are 55-121 in their last 176 overall and 34-76 in their last 110 Saturday games. Baltimore is 19-59 in their last 78 in game two of a series.
Meanwhile, the Sox are 2-7 in their last nine versus the AL East and 6-18 in their last 24 opening games of a doubleheader. Boston is 2-9 in their last 11 in game two of a series.
GAME 1 PICK: I’m probably staying Sox in game one. Eovaldi had a rough outing versus the Astros back on May 17 with 1.2 innings and six earned, but he bounced back in his last start. Eovaldi put up 6.2 frames with two earned against Seattle in that one. I think he’ll be fine here.
GAME 2 PICK: I’m likely staying Sox here as well. It’s something of a dice-roll proposition to take Boston for both games—especially with an MLB debut in the mix. That said, Winckowski holds a solid 3.13 ERA and a .183 BAA in Triple-A Worcester over seven starts this year. I like him to post a few good innings for Boston in game two and put the team in a promising spot.