Red Sox vs Pirates Prediction MLB Picks Today 4/3
- Lm Tipster
- Apr 3, 2023, 5:30:03 AM
© Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Introduction
The Boston Red Sox will host the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 3rd, and this game is shaping up to be an exciting one. Both teams have started the season with a 2-1 record and will look to keep the momentum going. In this preview, we'll take a look at each team's pitching and batting, as well as their injuries, to help you make an informed decision when placing your bets.
Pitching:
The Pirates will send Johan Oviedo to the mound for his first start of the season. The 23-year-old right-hander had a 4.41 ERA in 21.1 innings last year and will look to improve on that this season. He has a fastball that sits around 94 mph and a slider that he uses as his primary secondary pitch.
On the other side, the Red Sox will start Kutter Crawford, who is also making his season debut. Crawford had a 4.29 ERA in 21 innings pitched last season and will look to establish himself as a reliable starter this year. He throws a fastball that sits in the low 90s and mixes in a slider, curveball, and changeup.
Overall, both pitchers are relatively inexperienced and will need to work on their consistency throughout the season. However, we give the edge to the Red Sox in this matchup as Crawford has better secondary pitches, which should give him an advantage over Oviedo.
Batting:
The Pirates have struggled offensively in their first three games, batting just .203 as a team. However, Oneil Cruz has been a bright spot, hitting .400 with a .462 on-base percentage and .700 slugging percentage. Bryan Reynolds has also hit a home run and has two RBIs.
On the other hand, the Red Sox have been hot at the plate, batting .306 as a team with four home runs. Enrique Hernandez has been leading the way with two home runs and three RBIs. Adam Duvall has also been impressive, batting .571 with a 1.357 slugging percentage and eight RBIs.
Overall, the Red Sox have the better offense, and we expect them to have a good game against Oviedo, who has yet to establish himself as a reliable starter.
Injuries:
Both teams have a few players on the injured list. The Pirates are missing Jarlin Garcia, Robert Stephenson, and JT Brubaker. The Red Sox are without Joely Rodriguez, James Paxton, Brayan Bello, Garrett Whitlock, and Trevor Story.
While the injuries could affect the teams' depth, they shouldn't have a significant impact on this game's outcome.
Betting Trends:
The Pirates are 1-2 against the spread (ATS) in their first three games of the season.
The Pirates are 1-2 straight up (SU) in their first three games of the season.
The Pirates are 1-2 ATS as an underdog in their first three games of the season.
The Pirates are 1-2 SU as an underdog in their first three games of the season.
The total has gone UNDER in 2 of the Pirates' first 3 games of the season.
The Red Sox are 1-2 ATS in their first three games of the season.
The Red Sox are 2-1 SU in their first three games of the season.
The Red Sox are 1-2 ATS as a favorite in their first three games of the season.
The Red Sox are 2-1 SU as a favorite in their first three games of the season.
The total has gone OVER in 2 of the Red Sox's first 3 games of the season.
Prediction:
Based on our analysis, we predict that the Boston Red Sox will win this game. They have the better offense and a slightly more reliable pitcher on the mound. The Pirates have struggled to generate offense, and Oviedo will be facing a tough Red Sox lineup.
We recommend taking the Red Sox on the money line at -160. The over/under of 9.5 is a bit high, so we suggest taking the under.
Pick: Red Sox ML
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