Earlier this week, the Boston Red Sox made a trade that raised eyebrows across Major League Baseball. In that deal, Boston sent three-time All-Star Rafael Devers to the San Fransisco Giants for left-handed starter Kyle Harrison, right-hander Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and Rookie League right-hander Jose Bello. The deal did not include any compensation for San Francisco for the massive deal Devers signed in 2023 to remain in Boston for 10 years. That deal runs through 2033 and was worth $313.5 million.
The teams meet for the first time since that deal tonight, June 20, at Oracle Park in San Francisco.
Boston enters tonight’s game in fourth place in the American League East with a record of 39-37. The club trails the first-place New York Yankees by five games. Meanwhile, the Giants are the No. 2 club in the National League West with a mark of 42-33. They trail the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers by four games.
Before we get to our picks, you should check out our list of the best MLB betting sites.
The Red Sox might not have been happy that Rafael Devers did not want to move from third base to first base, but the team had to be pleased with his production as the team’s DH. Devers was hitting .272/.401/.504 after hitting his 15th home run for the Sox against the Yankees on Sunday. Devers was also second in the league in walks drawn, trailing only Juan Soto. The Red Sox have scrambled to fill Devers’s DH spot, using Kristian Campbell, Rob Refsnyder, and Romy Gonzalez in the three games the team played without Devers.
The Red Sox are expected to start Hunter Dobbins against the Giants. Dobbins is 4-1 with an ERA of 3.74. He has 42 strikeouts on the season. His 55.1 innings pitched is fourth-highest on the club.
Boston has a team batting average of .248, an OBP of .323, with 92 home runs and 343 RBIs.
The Red Sox are 12 for 24 in games where they have been the betting underdog this season.
Rafael Devers received a standing ovation from the home crowd when he made his debut for the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. The former Red Sox player struck out on five pitches at that at bat, admitting that the reception surprised him. “My first at-bat obviously I was a little bit nervous because of the ovation, I wasn’t expecting that,” Devers said through an interpreter. “Afterward, I felt a little more comfortable and it was great to see the fans welcoming me that way.”
Devers has played two games with the Giants, both at DH. He has eight at bats, and two hits with one RBI and no home runs.
The Giants ended a four-game losing skid on Thursday with a 2-1 home win over the Cleveland Guardians. The club is 2-5 in their past seven outings. Before that run, the Giants were on a seven-game winning streak.
Hayden Birdsong is expected to get the nod to pitch for San Francisco on Friday. He has a 2.79 ERA on the season with 51 strikeouts. He’s pitched 48.1 innings.
San Francisco has a team batting average of .233, an OBP of .312, with 71 home runs and 298 RBIs.
The Giants have won 26 of the 45 games where they entered as the betting favorite this season.
The San Francisco Giants might not have the best recent record coming into this game, but the team’s offense has been performing well against right-handed pitchers as of late. Meanwhile, the Red Sox have struggled against righties during the same time.
The betting pick is for the San Francisco Giants to beat the Boston Red Sox tonight.
After you are all up to speed in relation to the latest gaming news and notes coming from MLB, make sure to check out the excellent array of info for you at SBS. Baseball bettors should check out our guide to the best betting sites. Finally, for those on the go, and are eligible, the best betting apps rundown is a must-read page where you can learn more about the nuances of mobile betting and more.
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Trent's your man when it comes to all things sports. He covers a wide range of sports for Sports Betting Sites, and has been published in some pretty reputable outlets, such as USA Today Sports, Vice, Bloody Elbow, Fight! Magazine, UFC 360, and Narratively. Trent's got the inside track on all the happenings in the world of sports.
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