Red Sox Odds: How Bookmakers Set Prop Bets For Chris Sale Season Debut

It’s a slow time of year for the betting public, and chances are those thinking about sprinkling a wager are looking for any excuse to do so.

Feel free to use Chris Sale as that excuse.

The hard-throwing lefty will make his first start of the season for the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. The Red Sox are looking to bounce back against the Tampa Bay Rays after dropping the first game of the series on Monday night.

Sale has had a limited workload the last three seasons, missing the 2020 campaign before making just nine regular-season starts in 2021. Nevertheless, his return carries an excitement into the clubhouse and into the homes of Red Sox fans.

DraftKings Sportsbook looks to complement those rooting interests with specific prop bets on Sale:

Strikeouts: over/under 5.5
Hits allowed: over/under 4.5
Walks allowed: over/under 1.5
Runs allowed: over/under 1.5

One key factor regarding Sale’s props is his pitch count and how long he’ll toe the rubber. Again, Sale has not pitched for the Red Sox since a stress fracture in his ribcage prompted him to start the season on the sidelines before another setback. The uncertainty might be a key reason why bettors opt to pass on his player props.

Nevertheless, there still might be some value on Sale. One specific bet pertains to Sale’s strikeouts, specifically the Over 5.5 (+100). Most recently, Sale struck out five batters in his final rehab start with Triple-A Worcester. But last season, after Sale worked back to pitch midway through the summer, he started nine games. He would have cashed the Over 5.5 in six of those nine big league games while throwing five innings or less in an identical six games.

If you feel like Sale won’t have success Monday, however, placing a wager on the Over 1.5 walks (-110) rather than Over 1.5 runs (-130) might make some sense given the return. Sale walked five batters in his previous outing with the WooSox and acknowledged his inconsistencies in finding the strike zone. Sale had four games with two walks or more last season.

Sale and the Red Sox will take on the Rays on Tuesday, with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. ET. You can watch full coverage with NESN 360 as pregame starts at 6 p.m. ET.