The top two teams in the American League East Division will meet again tonight when the Boston Red Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park for the second game of the series.
The home team ground its way to a 2-1 win despite logging just 3 hits. Red Sox skipper Alex Cora claimed it felt like a playoff game so he coached them as such, digging deep into his bullpen to help his team's cause.
Now, Jose Berríos and Nick Pivetta will take the mound for Wednesday's matchup. Who'll end up on top? Let's find out!
Blue Jays Want To Bounce Back
The Blue Jays couldn't make the most of their powerful lineup in the first game of the series. They left 8 runners on base and Zack Collins' homer in the top of the second gave them their only run of the night.
Vladimir Guerrero jr. went 2/3 with a walk and one K but Lourdes Gurriel Jr. struggled to get him home, going 0/4 with 2 strikeouts.
Now, the Jays will trust José Berríos to even things up. He currently boasts a 11.81 ERA after two starts, with the Red Sox hitting him for .287 with 19 hits on 82 plate appearances.
Will Cora Take More Risks Tonight?
Alex Cora didn't hesitate to use Garret Whitlock as his closer to sealing the deal and, while it could've been a bit of a catastrophe after he landed awkwardly to catch a throw from Bobby Dalbec, he managed to stay on the mound and give his team a win.
Struggling starter Nick Pivetta will get the nod tonight looking to improve his 0-2 record and 9.39 era after two starts this season. Fortunately, he's kept the Blue Jays' bat relatively quiet throughout his career, as they hit just .254 against him.
Key Stats, Injuries, And Trends
The Boston Red Sox will once again be without Kevin Plawecki, Christian Vázquez, and Jonathan Araúz for this game due to COVID-19. For the Blue Jays, Teóscar Hernández and Danny Jansen will sit with injuries.
When it comes to trends, it's worth noting that the Blue Jays are 6-1 in their last 7 Wednesday games and are 8-2 in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Picks For Blue Jays at Red Sox
While neither of today's staters has been worthy of confidence thus far, MLB's shortened Spring Training may have had something to do with their struggles, so we expect them to be more in command tonight.
That being said, we still give the visitors the edge as they have the better, healthier, more powerful lineup, and the Red Sox's bullpen will be shorthanded tonight. Take the Blue Jays as a small road favorite and also look for this game to go over the 9.5 total.
]]>The Inquisitr
