The most shocking stat in this upcoming series has nothing to do with home runs or stolen bases. The Boston Red Sox currently hold the third-best team ERA in all of Major League Baseball at 3.59, according to FOX Sports. This fact stands out even more because the team is missing a huge chunk of its roster to injuries. It is rare to see a squad so decimated by the injury bug still rank so high in run prevention.
The Numbers Tell The Story
While the pitching staff shines, the lineup is fighting a war on two fronts. The Red Sox are 84-72 and sit third in the AL East. Yet, their last ten games tell a different tale of struggle. In that span, the team went 4-6 with a batting average of just .218 and an ERA of 3.34. They were also outscored by four runs during this rough stretch.
The injury list reads like a who’s who of the roster. Triston Casas is on the 60-Day IL with a knee injury, while Garrett Crochet sits on the 60-Day IL with a shoulder issue. Willson Contreras is day-to-day with a hand injury, and Ceddanne Rafaela is on the 10-Day IL with a quadricep injury. The list goes on with players like Kutter Crawford and Masataka Yoshida also sidelined.
Rookies Take the Mound Tuesday
Despite the losses, the game is set for Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. EDT at Fenway Park. The probable starter for the Red Sox is Payton Tolle, who brings a 9-6 record and a 3.02 ERA to the mound. Tolle has also recorded 166 strikeouts this season. On the other side, the Cleveland Guardians will send Parker Messick to the hill. Messick holds a 12-9 record with a 2.57 ERA and 186 strikeouts.
The Guardians are the team to beat in their division. They are 81-75 and currently hold first place in the AL Central. They have a strong record on the road, going 40-35 away from home. Their offense can explode quickly, as they are 27-9 in games where they hit two or more home runs. Jo Adell leads their power hitters with 22 home runs and a .401 slugging percentage.
For the Red Sox, Trevor Story has shown some life recently. Over his last ten games, he has hit 12 for 37, including two doubles and two home runs. Caleb Durbin has also contributed 25 doubles and 13 home runs this season. The betting line has the Red Sox as slight favorites at -131, with the Guardians at +108. The over/under is set at 6 1/2 runs for the matchup.
This is the fourth time these two teams have met this season. The Red Sox have a .500 record at home this year, sitting at 38-37. They face a tough challenge against a Guardians squad that has outscored opponents by 14 runs in their last ten games.
