Twins vs. Red Sox Odds
| Twins Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Total | Run Line |
+102 | 9 -114 / -106 | -1.5 +152 |
| Red Sox Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Total | Run Line |
| -120 | 9 -114 / -106 | +1.5 -184 |
This series has been wildly entertaining as the Red Sox mounted an extra-inning comeback in in the opener, then the Twins came out hot and won in a route Wednesday. That leads us to Thursday's rubber match.
Tanner Houck will get the start for Boston. Houck is coming off an abbreviated outing against the Angels where his command was not sharp, but he was able to contain the damage. It will be interesting to see if he can get right against this potent Minnesota lineup.
As for the Twins, they will hand the ball to Kenta Maeda for the third time this season. Maeda's first two outings have been polar opposites and this game will likely rest on which version shows up.
Let's dive in and find the best bet for Twins vs Red Sox.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins' offense erupted against Corey Kluber on Wednesday and could stay hot against Houck, who has excellent stuff that caters toward generating ground balls.
Through three starts, Houck generates grounders 51.7% of the time. However, the Twins will likely still find ways to get the ball in the air. Minnesota has the fourth-highest fly-ball rate in the majors.
Much like Wednesday, the lefties will supply the thunder. Joey Gallo is having a resurgent season, rookie Edouard Julien has made quite a bit of hard contact, and guys like Max Kepler and Trevor Larnach can't be overlooked.
The Twins have the second-highest strikeout rate in the majors, but with Houck's command in question, Minnesota should be able to punish any mistakes he leaves over the plate.
Boston Red Sox
Maeda will decide this game. His first outing was fantastic as he struck out nine batters over five innings and allowed just one run.
That outing gave flashbacks of 2020, when he dominated and finished third in Cy Young voting. Since then, health has held Maeda back and unfortunately, he struggled during his second outing as he dealt with arm fatigue and allowed four runs on eight hits.
In fact, the Twins skipped his turn to give him extra rest for this outing. Traditionally, results have varied mightily when pitchers are given extra rest, but it should help Maeda here.
Regardless of his form, this Boston lineup is dangerous. However, he must contain Rafael Devers and Alex Verdugo if he wants to successfully navigate Boston's lineup.
Twins vs. Red Sox Betting Pick
This matchup features a lot of uncertainty as both starters are massive question marks. However, even in the worst-case scenario, the Twins have the edge.
Minnesota's lineup is a constant threat despite its tendency to swing and miss. The Twins will punish Houck for his lapses of command.
On the other side, if Maeda isn't able to return to form, the Twins have a significantly better bullpen. So, any quality innings Maeda provides will be a plus.
Back the Twins to take this series finale.
Pick: Twins Moneyline |
What is QuickSlip?
QuickSlip is an Action Network feature that allows users to automatically pre-load their bet slip at FanDuel Sportsbook.
