The Baltimore Orioles (20-29, 8-18 away) take on the Boston Red Sox (23-25, 12-12 home) for the fifth time in as many days, with the series tied at two wins apiece. Boston’s hosted the five-game homestand, winning the second and fourth games of the series, with Baltimore victorious in the first and third.
Monday’s Memorial Day tilt is scheduled for a 7:10 p.m. EST first pitch inside the walls of the history Fenway Park. Boston is the betting favorite (-170), and the over-under total is ten runs.
What to Know – Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore takes on the Red Sox for the eighth time this season, owning a 4-3 record in head-to-head matchups against Boston. The Orioles are improved in 2022 but remain in last place in the tough AL East division.
Right-hander Tyler Wells (1-4, 4.30 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) is the expected hurler for the visitors in the series finale. Wells aims for his second victory in May after back-to-back losses in his last three starts. For the year, the 27-year-old has fired 37.2 innings, allowing 18 earned runs on 38 hits and six walks, with 25 strikeouts.
Anthony Santander provides the power for Baltimore’s lineup, leading the O’s with eight home runs and 25 runs driven in. Cedric Mullins is showing that 2021 wasn’t a fluke with five home runs, 11 stolen bases, and 25 runs scored.
The Orioles average 3.7 runs per game behind an offense that ranks 25th in the majors, hitting .229 as a team. Baltimore’s pitching staff ranks 20th in the league with a 4.10 team earned run average.
What to Know – Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox have flipped the switch since the middle of May, winning nine of their last 12 contest. Boston since in fourth place in the AL East, ten games back of the New York Yankees.
Veteran MLB pitcher Rich Hill (1-2, 3.86 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) toes the rubber for the Red Sox. Hill, at 42-years-old, is one of the oldest pitchers in the league this season. The lefty won’t give Boston a lot of innings, but he’s surrendered 15 earned runs over 35.0 innings, scattering 32 hits, walking nine, and striking out 24.
Pick your poison with this Red Sox offense. Seven hitters have 20 or more RBI, and Trevor Story leads the way with 37 (sixth in the MLB. Rafel Devers (.345) and Xander Bogaerts (.328) are each hitting well over .300, with Devers swatting a team-high 11 home runs.
Boston plates 4.9 runs per game thanks to the best team batting average in the AL (.262). The Red Sox team ERA of 3.91 ranks 15th in the league.
The Pick is In
The Orioles have had the Red Sox number this season, but Boston has picked up the play over the last two weeks. Expect a high-scoring series finale, but the Red Sox offense does what it needs to do to give their home fans something to cheer about.
Betting Pick: Boston Red Sox ML
