MLB Prediction: Will the Red Sox and Royals hit another under? 6/20/17
After a low-scoring game on Monday night, will the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals struggle to bring home the runs against tonight at 8:15PM ET? Here’s our MLB Prediction for tonight’s contest.
THE ODDS
According to the latest oddsmakers, the Red Sox are the clear favorite in this game, as they are getting odds of -200 to win, while the Royals are listed with a money line of +170 to prevail. The over/under total for the game has been set at 8.5 runs.
PITCHING MATCHUP
The pitching matchup for tonight has Chris Sale (8-3, 2.82 ERA) on the mound for Boston to face Matt Strahm (2-3, 3.67) of the Royals.
Sale has settled in nicely in Boston, racking up 136 strikeouts over 99 innings. He has just 18 walks and a 0.93 WHIP this season. Strahm is making just his second start of the season. His first start saw him go five innings and allowing no earned runs with three hits. On the season, he has pitched 27 innings and allowed 11 earned runs with 29 strikeouts and 19 walks. His WHIP is 1.30.
RECORDS
Kansas City took the first game of the series on Monday night, picking up a 4-2 win. These two went under the total of 9.5 runs.
Kansas City is now 34-35 overall, 18-16 at home and 35-30 with the under. Boston is 39-31 overall, 18-20 on the road and 35-31 with the under.
MONDAY’S RECAP
Monday’s game saw the two teams combine for 20 hits, yet only score six runs. Jason Hammel pitched seven innings and allowed just two earned runs on seven hits to get his fourth win of 2017. Hector Velazquez pitched 5.1 innings and allowed two runs on five hits. Blaine Boyer took the loss in relief by allowing two runs in 1.1 innings of work.
Eric Hosmer’s eighth home run of the season lifted KC to the win. Boston was led by Jackie Bradley Jr., who had three hits and two RBI, including his ninth home run of the season.
MLB PREDICTION
The Royals have won eight of their last nine games and pitching has been a big part of that. They have held opponents to three runs or less in all eight of those wins. I think the KC staff continues to pitch well tonight with Strahm on the mound.
Sale should also have a good outing against this KC team that lacks in a lot of great hitters. Look for another low-scoring game tonight.
MLB Prediction: Red Sox/Royals Under 8.5
