Boston Red Sox vs New York Mets 7/27/20: Starting Lineups, Betting Odds (Matchup Preview)
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Matchup Preview
The New York Mets (1-2) will travel to Fenway Park tonight to take on the Boston Red Sox (1-2). New York is coming off of a series defeat to the Atlanta Braves, in which they lost their last game by an astonishing 13 runs. After winning the first game of their season, Boston dropped their next two games to the Baltimore Orioles and inevitably lost their first series. Both teams come from cities with loyal fanbases who routinely expect big things from their ballclubs. With two disappointing first series from both sides, the Red Sox and Mets will look to get back on track in their second series of the season. Tonight’s game will feature Michael Wacha on the mound for the Mets, a one-time All-Star in his first seven seasons in St. Louis. Wacha joins the Mets after posting a 4.76 ERA last year. Josh Osich will get the start for Boston tonight, who was 4-0 with a 4.66 ERA with the Chicago White Sox last season. Starting pitching is an issue for the Red Sox, while the Mets boast one of the best rotations in the league. However, the Mets are not throwing one of their premier pitchers out this game, which makes tonight’s matchup a tough one to predict.
TV Section: Boston Red Sox vs. New York Mets, 7/27/20 7:35 pm EST, Fenway Park, Boston, MA: TV: FOX Radio: ESPN Radio
Red Sox Starting Lineup
- Andrew Benintendi (L) LF
- J.D. Martinez (R) DH
- Rafael Devers (L) 3B
- Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
- Kevin Pillar (R) RF
- Christian Vasquez (R) C
- Michael Chavis (R) 1B
- Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) CF
- Jose Peraza (R) 2B
Red Sox Analysis
The Red Sox are coming off of a disappointing 2019 campaign and a quite interesting offseason. The team went 84-78 last season and missed the playoffs following a World Series Championship in 2018. After the season concluded, the Red Sox traded their star outfielder Mookie Betts and former Cy Young Award winner David Price to the Dodgers in exchange for prospects. This move made it clear that the Red Sox were focused on the future; however, they also kept much of their 2018 core intact. All-Stars J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts return for Boston. Martinez looked good in the first series against the O’s, hitting .385 with three RBIs. Catcher Christian Vasquez also played well, batting 4-7 with a HR and two RBIs. The most significant question mark for the Red Sox is their pitching, and the Mets certainly have some sluggers in their starting lineup. Chris Sale is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and Boston lost both David Price and Rick Porcello in the offseason. The Red Sox rotation will need to perform to combat the Mets lineup, keeping in mind that their offense will have a challenge ahead of them as well. While Jacob deGrom might not be pitching tonight, Boston should keep in mind that he is slated to pitch on Wednesday.
Mets Starting Lineup
- Amed Rosario (R) SS
- Jeff McNeil (L) 3B
- Pete Alonso (R) 1B
- Yoenis Cespedes (R) DH
- Michael Conforto (L) RF
- J.D. Davis (R) LF
- Robinson Cano (L) 2B
- Tomas Nido (R) C
- Brandon Nimmo (L) CF
Mets Analysis
The Mets finished their 2019 campaign with an 86-76 record, good for 3rd in the NL East but not enough to make the playoffs. They had a similar record to the Red Sox in 2019, but the Mets’ future looks much brighter than Boston’s. Their offense is headlined by Pete Alonso, who was an All-Star and was named Rookie of the Year last season. Although he didn’t have an impressive first series, batting just 1-11, Alonso should certainly get back on track this series. Alonso is joined by a group of veterans, including eight-time All-Star Robinson Cano, Jeff McNeil, and Yoenis Cespedes. While none of New York’s big-name players batted particularly well in their series against Atlanta, RF Michael Conforto did. He hit .500 in the series on eight at-bats and is looking to continue his success against Boston. Taking the mound tonight for the Mets will be Michael Wacha, who is a former All-Star himself. However, New York’s rotation goes far beyond just Wacha. The Mets rotation is made up of two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, Rick Porcello, and Steven Matz. New York boasts a very formidable rotation with perhaps the best pitcher in the MLB at the helm. If the Mets can produce some hits and runs, I think they have a good shot at winning this series.
Red Sox Vs Mets Fantasy Angle
When it comes to the fantasy side of things for this matchup, I think it would be wise to start Pete Alonso on your team. Even though he is currently hitting .091 on the season, it is only a matter of time until the former Rookie of the Year returns to form. Alonso hit an astonishing 53 bombs last season, which was good enough for most in the entire MLB. You can’t hold great hitters down for too long, and I believe that Alonso will perform well this series against the Red Sox. Many question marks are surrounding Boston’s starting rotation, as they no longer have Chris Sale, David Price, or Rick Porcello. Josh Osich will start for Boston tonight and has a career 4.86 ERA. With uncertainty arising for Boston’s pitching, this is a perfect matchup for Alonso. Expect him to bounce back tonight and produce for your fantasy team.
Red Sox vs Mets Betting Odds
Mets Odds: -115
Red Sox Odds: +105
Over/Under: 11.5 runs
The Mets are favored to win tonight’s matchup, and I understand why. However, I do think that this game could go either way. Neither team is starting an impressive pitcher, and I think this game will come down to who can hit better. Both sides have several solid sluggers, which makes me believe that a lot of runs could be scored in this game. If I were a betting man, I’d take the over in this matchup. As for who is going to win the game, I’m going to go with the Mets. They seem to be the better overall team at the moment, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Boston comes out on top in this matchup either.
