MLB · Wed, Aug 26 · 6:40 PM

Red Sox at Marlins

O/U 7.5 · RL Red Sox -1.5 · loanDepot park

Gary's pick

Red Sox ML-126

CONF 67%

Result

LLostFinal 0-4

The read

This game turns when the starters hand over the baseball. Sonny Gray carries a 2.79 ERA and 1.16 WHIP against Ryan Gusto’s 4.37 and 1.34. Both have a 2.84 ERA over their last three starts, so I’m not dismissing Miami early. The separator is length: Gray has completed six innings in five of his last six starts; Gusto has done it once.

That handoff favors Boston. Its bullpen has a 1.35 ERA over the last seven games, compared with Miami’s 4.75. The Marlins used seven relievers Tuesday, lost Pete Fairbanks to a fresh injured-list placement, and have already worked Josh Ekness and Tyler Zuber on consecutive days. Boston also played eleven innings, but used five relievers and did not call on Aroldis Chapman.

I can see Miami keeping this close, which is exactly why I’m taking the moneyline instead of asking Boston to cover -1.5. If the game is tied when Gusto exits, Gray’s length and Boston’s late-inning options are the pieces I trust. At -126, I’ll pay for the outright win without demanding a margin.

Props on this game

2

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