Two Ways To Bet Rafael Devers’ First Game Against Red Sox

Rafael Devers will square off with his former team for the first time Friday night when the San Francisco Giants host the Boston Red Sox. The stakes feel high, even if it’s just another game in the marathon that is the regular season. Still, if you want to add to the drama, here are a few ways to consider betting on tonight’s game.

Rafael Devers OVER 1.5 Total Bases (-115, FanDuel)

It’s hard to imagine Devers going hitless tonight, especially given how Red Sox starting Hunter Dobbins approaches lefties. Dobbins throws just about everything away from them, but most of his pitches break back towards the glove side. Even his four-seam fastball has some cut to it, bringing it back towards lefties.

Devers can cover the entire plate, and he feasts on right-handed breaking balls. Dobbins could use a four-seam heavy approach, but he doesn’t generate many whiffs with the pitch. He could also use a splitter, but it’s not a pitch he throws in the zone enough to get through an entire at-bat.

The wind will also be strong tonight at Oracle Park. The stadium was designed to neutralize the weather effects to an extent, but balls hit high in the air could cause trouble for outfielders. I like Devers to put the ball in play a few times tonight, and with the deep power alleys in San Francisco, he could find himself standing with extra bases.

First Inning UNDER 0.5 Total Runs (-125, FanDuel)

Devers has hit third in each of his first three games with the Giants and will likely find himself in that spot again. We saw Dobbins use his adrenaline and amp up his velocity against the Yankees. I’d expect something similar against his former teammate.

Mike Yastrzemski and Willy Adames will likely hit ahead of Devers. The former has had a tough time with fastballs, particularly high-velocity ones. Much of Adames’ damage against righties has come via the walk, and Dobbins isn’t one to hand out free passes. There’s a decent chance Devers has no one on base when he steps to the plate for the first time.

For the Red Sox offense, Hayden Birdsong has a lively fastball and a very good changeup that he uses against left-handed hitters. Birdsong sometimes struggles with his command, but Patrick Bailey behind the plate should dissuade stolen base attempts and prevent too much damage. With nobody in the lineup having faced Birdsong previously, I’d expect a slow start to this one.

Friday night’s first pitch is scheduled for 10:15 p.m. ET, and you can catch all the action on NESN, beginning with pregame coverage at 9 p.m. ET.