The Red Sox (66-58, 31-30 away) travel to take on the Astros (70-55, 33-29 home) in game one of this American League matchup. James Paxton is getting the start for the Red Sox while Cristian Javier is starting for the Astros. See who I like to pick up the win in today’s Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros showdown at Minute Maid Park.

BOSTON RED SOX VS HOUSTON ASTROS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Boston Red Sox +111

This game will be played at Minute Maid Park at 8:10 ET on Monday, August 21st.

WHY BET THE BOSTON RED SOX:

  • The Red Sox will be taking on a Astros club that is just 4-6 over their last ten games.
  • Over their last ten games as the favorite, the Astros are just 4-6 (straight-up).
  • Cristian Javier has struggled of late, coming in with an ERA of 5.70 over his last three starts.

BOSTON RED SOX ON A RUNLINE WIN STREAK

On a record of 66-58, the Red Sox are 4th in the AL East. At home, they have put together a win percent of 55.6% compared to 50.8% on the road. This season, Boston has gone 33-32 against teams who are above .500, and hold an overall series record of 21-16-3.

James Paxton is set to take the mound for Boston with a 7-3 record. He has made 16 appearances this season, boasting an ERA of 3.34 and a K/9 of 9.69. His FIP stands at 4.09 and his OBP is .279.

James Paxton’s most recent start ended in a no-decision, despite the southpaw pitching six innings and surrendering two earned runs on five hits. Despite his quality performance, the Red Sox were unable to come away with a win, falling to the Nationals 6-2.

Having gone deep 10 times in their last five games, the Red Sox are 2nd in that span. At 4.9 runs per game, Boston is 8th in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .262 while hitting a total of 143 home runs (15th).

Over the last five games, Rafael Devers has been on fire for the Red Sox. He leads the team in hits, boasting a .460 batting average. On the season, Devers is hitting .274 and has tallied 85 RBIs.

WILL THE HOUSTON ASTROS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

This season, the Astros have played a total of 39 series and are above .500 at 22-14-3. On the road, Houston is 37-26 and 33-29 at home. Their overall record of 70-55 has the Astros sitting 2nd in the AL West.

Houston Astros starter Cristian Javier has had a successful season thus far, boasting an 8-2 record and 4.49 ERA. When pitching at home, his ERA is 4.04, while it rises to 5.76 on the road. His WHIP for the season stands at 1.23, with opposing teams managing a .226 batting average against him and a .414 slugging percentage.

Cristian Javier was unable to secure the win or the loss in his most recent start against the Marlins, but his team, the Astros, emerged victorious by a score of 6-5. The right-hander surrendered five runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings in the outing.

The Astros have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 9 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 3rd best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 7th in home runs and 9th in slugging percentage. Overall, Houston is averaging 4.9 runs per game (7th).

Kyle Tucker has been a major contributor to the Astros’ offensive success this season, leading the team in home runs with 24 and RBIs with 92. His slugging percentage of .525 is indicative of his impressive power at the plate.