The MLB All Star Break is set to end on Thursday, and that means that every team in the league will be back in action on Friday. The Boston Red Sox are in Chicago for a matchup with the Cubs to start the second half, and the series opener will be a great game.
Boston comes into the second half of the season with an overall record of 48-43, and they were better than expected to begin the year. The Red Sox ended the first half by winning five straight games, and they come into this series with some momentum.
Chicago went on the road and won a series against the New York Yankees to end the first half, and that kept them in the playoff race. The Cubs are still just 42-47 on the year, but they are within striking distance in the NL Central Division.
Look for the Chicago Cubs to be the moneyline betting favorites in this matchup against the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.
Devers Delivering For Red Sox
Rafael Devers signed a big extension to stay with the Red Sox, and he is living up to that massive deal. Devers has belted 20 home runs and driven in 70 runs this season to lead a pretty good offense.
There are some holes throughout the lineup for Boston, but they also tend to come up with some big hits when needed. Don’t expect the Red Sox to belt a ton of home runs in this series, but there is some power in that lineup.
Brayan Bello is making the start for the Red Sox, and he is 6-5 with a 3.04 ERA this season. Bello just needs to give the Red Sox a chance in this one if they want to have some success.
Cubs Need Pitching to Lead
The Chicago Cubs are expected to have Marcus Stroman on the mound on Friday night, and he was named to the All Star team this season. Stroman is trying to make a pitch to stay with the Cubs past this season, and his sinker works extremely well at Wrigley Field.
The bullpen has been an issue at times for the Cubs, and that is something that needs to improve in the second half of the year. Chicago isn’t a team with a ton of power in the lineup, and they can’t outscore teams on a nightly basis.
Christopher Morel leads the way with 15 home runs this season, and Nico Hoerner has 45 RBIs to lead the way. Those two young stars can get extremely hot, and could be in for a big second half of the year.
Cubs Ride Ace to Win
Marcus Stroman has had a great season for the Chicago Cubs, and he is expected to be on the mound in this game. For as good as the Boston Red Sox have been on offense, they don’t always score a ton of runs against the best pitchers in baseball.
This is going to be an important series for each team, and the Cubs have a big edge by playing this first series back at home. The weather should be great at Wrigley Field, and the bats for Chicago are going to have a great night at the plate.
Bet the Chicago Cubs moneyline as they start the second half off with a big win over the Boston Red Sox.
