The Red Sox and the Astros have three games lined up, with the last contest on Thursday night, May 18. Chicago drew first blood with a 6-3 victory over Houston. The Astros retaliated right away with an imposing 13-4 win. This series is up for grabs with little margin of error for both teams. The Red Sox get a slight advantage, but the Astros are not far behind with momentum on their end.

Nitrobetting covers the upcoming Red Sox vs. Astros clash below. This preview shares essential game information, crucial team and player statistics, and the latest MLB betting odds. More than that, we present timely trends and predictions that get you on the right betting track.

Astros vs. Red Sox Game Information

Recap last night’s W in photos!

? https://t.co/mIKlq3nX8h pic.twitter.com/q0BeFQ5YDm

— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 17, 2022

• When: Wednesday, May 18, 2022, 1:10 PM ET
• Where: American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
• TV: ATT SportsNet-SW, NESN
• Radio: 790AM KBME (Astros) / 98.5 The Sports Hub (Red Sox)
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• MLB Odds: Astros (+105) / Red Sox (-120)

Why bet on the Houston Astros?

The Astros endured a shaky start to the season for right-hand pitcher José Urquidy, recording a 4.40 ERA with underwhelming stats. HisxERA is high up at 6.36, and his XwOBA record stays consistent at .408. This is where teams start to find Urquidy’s lapses, and he ranks in the bottom 10% of the league in xERA, xwOBA, xBA, hard-hit percentage, and average exit velocity. Nevertheless, the 27-year-old bounced back and produced better numbers over his last two starts. He allowed just one run over nine innings in his last two outings.

Despite injuries that keep Jose Altuve by the sidelines and substandard starts from Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, the Astros offense sneaks in the top-ten in wOBA and top-three in wRC+. Furthermore, Yordan Alvarez has been in top form as of late, ranking second in the league in home runs. He tops the squad in wRC+ as well. Jeremy Peña plays his role well at shortstop, hitting .448 in the last two weeks but is questionable for a return due to a knee injury.

Why bet on the Boston Red Sox?

Nathan Eovaldi delivers for his team day in and out. The Red Sox right-hand pitcher holds a 3.15 ERA in seven starts, which is a career-high for the experienced player. Opponents manage a .309 wOBA against him, and his curveball could play an effective role against the Astros. But, there are several concerns with Eovaldi’s numbers. He records a 4.38 xERA and .350 xwOBA alongside a 2.03 K/9 and nine home runs in seven appearances. In his last two starts, he allowed three earned runs. On top of that, he also walked more batters in two of his last five starts.

Two-time All-Star Trevor Story adds more depth to the Red Sox lineup. Boston’s offense has been slow on the South Shore. The Red Sox find themselves in the bottom five of the league in wOBA and wRC+. Rafael Devers is also the only player on the team to hit more than five homers this year, and Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and JD Martinez are the only players to record a wRC+ over 70.

Astros vs. Red Sox MLB Betting Trends

• The Red Sox are 1-4 in the last five games at Fenway Park.
• The Red Sox are 3-3 in the last six home games.
• The totals went under in three of the Red Sox’s last five home games.
• The Astros are 3-2 in the last five road games.
• The Astros are 3-2 in the last five road games against the Red Sox.
• The totals went over in two of the Astros’ last four games.

Astros vs. Red Sox Betting Prediction

The hitters on both ends should have the edge on the starters. This leads us to believe that the game could go down the wire this time around. Scoring can happen early into the game with both lineups eager to secure the series. Boston holds the upper hand with home advantage. However, we’ve seen Houston do well in the last meeting. This means we can’t write off the visitors that are riding on plenty of momentum. Additionally, the Astros can cover and surprise us with a win should they produce a repeat of their previous outing against the Red Sox.

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*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.

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