Red Sox vs Twins Pick

Minnesota Twins (10-7) vs. Boston Red Sox (9-9)
April 20, 2023 1:35 pm EDT
The Line: Boston Red Sox -147 / Minnesota Twins +115; Over/Under: +8.5
(Get latest betting odds)

The Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox meet Thursday in MLB action from Fenway Park. This will be the finale in a three-game series. The Red Sox eked out a win on Tuesday, then in game two Minnesota evened it up with a six-run victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.

Minnesota Twins

The Twins had a 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the 10th on Tuesday but ended up falling 5-4 after a rough finish. In Wednesday’s game two, Minnesota posted seven runs across the first three innings during a 10-4 victory. Starter Joe Ryan lasted 6.0 innings with three earned on six hits and a walk. 

For the starter job in the Thursday matchup it’ll be Kenta Maeda. Over his two starts so far Maeda is 0-2 with a 4.09 ERA and 12 Ks in 11.0 innings. Made is 59-43 in his career with a 3.88 ERA in 171 games (137 starts). 

Boston Red Sox 

Over on the Boston side, they kicked off their three-run 10th-inning rally Tuesday with a declined catcher interference call and finished with an Alex Verdugo walk-off hit. On Wednesday the Red Sox were out-hit 9-7 in the loss. Corey Kluber put up 5.0 innings, seven earned, six hits and two walks in the start. 

Tanner Houck will make the start for the Sox on Thursday. Over three starts so far Houck is 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA and 15 Ks over 14.0 innings. He’s 11-9 with a 3.15 ERA in 56 career games (23 starts). 

The Twins are 16-35 in the last 51 road games and 5-11 in their last 16 Thursday games. Minnesota is 3-8 in their last 11 in game three of a series.

Meanwhile, the Sox are 7-15 in their last 22 Thursday games and the over is 7-1 in their last eight Thursday games. The over is 6-2 in Boston’s last eight overall. 

ANDREW’S FREE PICK

I’ll take a stab on Boston here. Houck has been pretty good so far over his three starts—if a little shaky at times. Houck has a total of seven earned runs on 12 hits and seven walks over 14.0 innings, and if he can give five good frames or so Boston should be in great shape. In the Wednesday game the Sox fell into an early hole and couldn’t keep up with the Twins’ offense. If the Red Sox can get off to a quick lead in this finale I think they’ll be fine.