Red Sox Favored In Series Against Atlanta Braves Despite Recent Slump
The Boston Red Sox will be looking to end a six-game losing streak when they play host to the Atlanta Braves on Monday night as -175 moneyline favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The 27-37 Red Sox are coming off three straight losses to the Toronto Blue Jays, who scored a whopping 10.3 runs per game during their weekend series. That sent Boston deeper into the American League East division basement, eight games back of the division-leading New York Yankees and a full 10 games under .500.
Atlanta enters Monday night’s Braves vs. Red Sox betting matchup at Fenway Park with just four wins in its last 12 contests, dropping to 30-33 on the season and three games back of the surprising New York Mets in the National League East division standings.
The Braves also have struggled in recent meetings with Boston. The Red Sox swept a four-game, home-and-home series between the clubs last May and are 12-3 in their last 15 games overall against Atlanta.
Rick Porcello will get the start for the Red Sox on Monday night. The 26-year-old has been roughed up in recent outings, giving up 20 total earned runs over his last four starts, all losses, to drop to 4-6 on the season. However, Porcello earned the win in his last start against Atlanta, giving up three earned runs in a 7-4 victory two years ago as a member of the Detroit Tigers.
Rookie Williams Perez is expected to be on the bump for the Braves in Monday’s series opener. Perez is 2-0 in five starts this season and was credited with the save in the Braves’ 5-3 win over the Mets on Saturday.
Following their series with Atlanta, the Red Sox travel to Kansas City to face the AL Central-leading Royals.
The Royals enjoyed a much-needed day off Sunday, when their meeting with the St. Louis Cardinals was postponed. Kansas City had dropped its previous two games against the Cards, ending a four-game win streak.
Kansas City dropped six of seven against Boston last season. However, the Red Sox’s offense will need to heat up against a Royals pitching staff that has surrendered just 13 total runs in its last six outings.
While the Royals have been streaky at best of late, with five-game and four-game winning streaks accounting for their only back-to-back wins over the past month, they remain strong 7-2 favorites to repeat as AL champions at the sportsbooks.
Kansas City is also a strong 15-2 bet on the latest World Series odds, deadlocked with the Cards and trailing only the Los Angeles Dodgers, who remain favorites at 7-1.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
