The teams have met 12 times so far this season, and Boston has an 8-4 advantage with a 4-3 mark at home. Thanks to an 18-4 win on June 13, Toronto has outscored the Red Sox 69-61 in the 12 games. Including Wednesday’s doubleheader, the teams still have seven matchups left.
Boston will send RHP Garrett Richards (6-5, 4.99) to the mound in the afternoon game against Toronto LHP Robbie Ray (8-5, 3.12). Game two features Boston RHP Tanner Houck (0-2, 2.50) against Toronto LHP Steven Matz (8-5, 4.34). Both games will be seven-inning contests.
Blue Jays Offense Among the League’s Best
The Toronto Blue Jays offense is something to watch. They lead the Majors in home runs per game (1.62) and OPS (.783) while ranking second in average (.264) and runs per game (5.35). They have scored 10 runs in three of their last seven games, but those are their only wins in that span.
Ray has faced former National Leaguers Kiki Hernandez (.238) and Hunter Renfroe (.111) a combined 70 times in his career. Hernandez has five homers, while all three of Renfroe’s hits are home runs. Xander Bogaerts, Michael Chavis, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers, and Kevin Plawecki all took Ray deep this season.
Matz doesn’t have much career success against Boston hitters as only Bogaerts (.200), and Hernandez (.222) are under .333 against him. Christian Vazquez is 5-for-8 with two homers, Dalbec is 2-for-5 with a homer while both Alex Verdugo and J.D. Martinez are 3-for-9.
Red Sox Rolling at Fenway
The Red Sox hit slightly better against lefties (.259) than they do against righties (.255). They have exactly one-third of their home runs (44) against southpaws as they prepare to face two on Wednesday. They also hit 31 points higher at Fenway Park (.272) than on the road (.241).
Boston has won five of their last six games, and the under has hit in all of those except for a 13-4 win over Toronto on July 19. Bogaerts has been banged up with a wrist injury and is questionable for the doubleheader. Devers leads Boston with 27 home runs and 81 RBI, while Bogaerts is batting .309 with a team-leading 29 doubles.
Richards has faced the Blue Jays four times this season with two wins, a loss, and a no-decision. He beat Toronto last Wednesday but allowed four runs on three home runs over 5 ⅔ innings. Guerrero Jr. is 6-for-9 with a home run against him, while Teoscar Hernandez is 6-for-11 with a dinger.
Houck has never faced Toronto in his six career starts. The former first-round draft pick came back from Triple-A on July 16 and got a save with three shutout innings. He took a no-decision as a starter against the Yankees on Thursday with one run allowed on two hits over 4 ⅔ innings as he struck out eight.
Betting Analysis
Game 1
Boston ML +130. Run line +1.5 (-125)
Toronto ML -150. Run line -1.5 (+105)
Total: 9 runs. Over +100. Under -120
Game 2
Boston ML -130. Run line -1.5 (+155)
Toronto ML +110. Run line +1.5 (-180)
Total: 8 runs. Over -110. Under -110
The game-one pitchers went head-to-head in Buffalo last Wednesday in a contest that featured eight homers and 11 runs scored. Both starters gave up three dingers, so look for the offense to be ready to go in the opener.
FREE PICK: Game 1 – Over