Los Angeles Angels (7-8) vs. Boston Red Sox (8-8)
April 17, 2023 11:10 am EDT
The Line: Boston Red Sox +115 / Los Angeles Angels -147; Over/Under: +10
(Get latest betting odds)
The Los Angeles Angels and the Boston Red Sox meet Monday in MLB action from Fenway Park. This will be the finale in a four-game series. The Red Sox took each of the first two installments, then on Sunday Boston kept it up with another victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Los Angeles Angels
The Angels lost 5-3 in the Friday opener of this series, then blew an early lead to fall 9-7 in game two. On Sunday Los Angeles had just four hits in a 2-1 defeat. Starter Reid Detmers put up 6.1 innings with two earned, six hits and a walk.
For the starter job in the Monday game, it’ll be Shohei Ohtani. This year over his three starts Ohtani is 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 19.0 innings. Ohtani holds a career record of 30-14 with a 2.83 ERA in 66 starts.
Boston Red Sox
Over on the Boston side, they scored three runs in both the fourth and eighth innings during the Saturday comeback. On Sunday the Sox scored both runs in the third inning and held on for the win. Garrett Whitlock put up 7.0 frames with one earned on three hits and two walks in the starting role.
It’ll be Brayan Bello on the mound for the start Monday. This will be Bello’s season debut. Last year in 13 games (11 starts), Bello put up a 2-8 record with a 4.71 ERA. He had 55 strikeouts in 57.1 innings of work.
The Angels are 7-21 in their last 31 versus the AL East and 1-4 in their last five Monday games. Los Angeles is 0-5 in their last five in game four of a series.
Meanwhile, the Sox are 1-5 in their last six Monday games and 10-4 in their last 14 at home. Boston is 35-16 in their last 51 versus the AL West.
ANDREW’S FREE PICK
I’m going to stick with the Angels in this one. Ohtani should be just fine in the start; he’s given up just one earned run in 19.0 combined innings on six hits and 12 walks. It’ll be interesting to see how Bello does on the other side, though. On Sunday Los Angeles had an early lead but really couldn’t get much going on offense. The Angels need to get the bats going here; they’ve only had one decent game scoring-wise in this series. That said, I think Los Angeles gets it together in the finale and staves off the sweep.
