Boston Red Sox preview: Welcoming the 2017 champs to Fenway
The march to 100 wins continues for the Boston Red Sox as they play host to the 2017 World Champion Houston Astros for three games this weekend.
Roughly three weeks of games are still to be played in the regular season. For the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros, though, this weekend could be a preview of an eventual playoff matchup.
We also know how much can change over the course of a few weeks, especially in September.
The Red Sox (97-44) head into the weekend with a 9.5 game lead over the New York Yankees, but the teams still face each other six times in September.
In the west, Houston (87-53) is in a battle with the Oakland A’s for first-place. The Astros have won five straight to stretch their lead, but getting swept by Boston could heat things right back up.
This weekend at Fenway, the two of the top pitching staffs and offenses in the league will square off. Boston and Houston met back in late May/early June, with the teams splitting the four-game series.
The Red Sox have scored five or more runs in their last seven victories (out of ten games). J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts continue to pace the lineup, but are also receiving help from throughout the lineup (including newest hero, Brandon Phillips).
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Ian Kinsler is hitting .310 since arriving in Boston and Rafael Devers recently made his return. Blake Swihart has also played an integral part and Jackie Bradley, Jr. is coming off an August in which he .282.
The Astros have battled injuries, with Jose Altuve, George Springer, and Carlos Correa all missing time. Alex Bregman has stepped up nicely, hitting .298 with 29 home runs and 96 RBI.
Probable starting pitchers
A strength for most of the season, the starting pitchers for the Red Sox have been slumping and battling injuries as of late.
Hopefully we are in the midst of all that changing.
Eduardo Rodriguez made his return last week and David Price will be getting the ball this weekend.
Now we only await the return of Chris Sale. Sale, who has been out since August 18, recently threw a bullpen session and a return during this homestand (post the Houston series) is possible.
Price (14-6, 3.60 ERA) will start on Friday, pitching for the first time since August 29. Price pitched only three innings in that outing, but in his seven starts prior he’d only allowed eight earned runs.
Rodriguez (12-3, 3.34 ERA) is scheduled to start on Saturday. After a 45-day layoff, Rodriguez returned against the Chicago White Sox, striking out 12 in 5.2 innings while giving up only three hits.
Rick Porcello (16-7, 4.20 ERA) will tentatively close out the series. Porcello has pitched only 15 innings in his last three starts, allowing seven earned runs.
Porcello picked up a win over Houston back in June, going 6.1 innings while allowing five hits and two earned runs.
Gerrit Cole (13-5, 2.86 ERA, 243 K’s), Charlie Morton (13-3, 3.14 ERA) and Dallas Keuchel (11-10, 3.46 ERA) are the scheduled starters for Houston.
Cole picked up a win over Boston the first time the two teams met, pitching seven innings and striking out seven. He’s averaged 8.5 strikeouts in his past ten starts.
Morton is making his first start since a short DL-stint and Keuchel is 8-2 since a June 5 loss.
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A sweep would do wonders for the Red Sox, but even at this point another series victory would be great. Do that and Boston will be one step closer to resting up for October.