The MLB betting action goes on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, with the American League showdown from Fenway Park in Boston, so we’ve prepared the best Minnesota Twins vs. Boston Red Sox betting pick and odd, as the first pitch is set at 7:10 PM ET.  

The Red Sox are listed as strong -225 favorites to win this clash, according to Bookmaker Sportsbook, while the Twins are +205 moneyline dogs with a total of 9.5 runs. Back in April, these two American League foes met in a four-game set at Target Field in Minneapolis, and the Sawx beat the Twins, 3-1.

Minnesota lays bottom of the AL Central

The Minnesota Twins are on a three-game losing ride following a 7-1 defeat at Yankee Stadium last Saturday. Their Sunday’s closer of a four-game set against the Yankees was postponed, so the Twins will continue their road trip with another tough AL East matchup.

Minnesota is 10-9 in August despite a 4.82 ERA and the 11th-worst OPS in the majors (.710). The Twins just couldn’t cope with the red-hot Yankees, scoring only eight runs through three games while yielding 24 in a return.

Griffin Jax will get the starting call Tuesday at Fenway Park, and the 26-year-old rookie is 3-1 with a 5.11 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in six starts and four relief appearances (44 innings). The Twins emerged victorious in four of his last five starts, and the righty has registered a sharp 2.73 ERA and a .188 batting average against in that stretch.

The Red Sox search for their second straight win

The Boston Red Sox barely avoided an upset on Monday afternoon, outlasting the hapless Texas Rangers in 11 innings, 8-4, thanks to Travis Shaw’s grand slam. The Sawx clinched a three-game home set against the Strangers and improved to 71-55 on the season, so they were tied with Oakland for the bottom wild card on Monday.

Tanner Houck will take the hill for the Red Sox in the opening game of the Twins series, and the 25-year-old right-hander is 0-3 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in seven starts and a couple of relief appearances in 2021. He’s recorded a 4.26 ERA over his three starts and 12.2 innings of work in August.

The Red Sox have struggled on the mound so far this month, tallying a 4.66 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and a .266 batting average against. Their bullpen has a 6.53 ERA and 4.60 FIP in the last couple of weeks, so the Red Sox desperately need more from their defense.

Trends:

Minnesota:

  • 1-4 in the last five games overall
  • 1-4 in the last five contests on the road

Boston:

  • 9-4 in the last 13 games against Minnesota
  • 5-1 in the last six games at home

Minnesota Twins vs. Boston Red Sox Pick

Griffin Jax has done a good job for the Twins in the last few weeks, so this matchup with the Red Sox’s loaded lineup will be a proper test for a rookie. The Sawx are slashing .268/.344/.452 in August and .272/.362/.499 over the last couple of weeks. Boston cannot rely on its pitching staff, but its offense should make the difference in this one.

The Twins bullpen has been a big issue all season long. Over the last two weeks, Minnesota’s relievers have registered a 3.81 ERA to go with a poor 5.12 FIP and 1.68 home runs allowed per nine innings.

Pick: Take Boston Red Sox at -225   

The Total:

The under has hit in nine of the last 11 encounters between the Twins and Sawx, but Tuesday’s affair shouldn’t be a low-scoring one. With both teams struggling on the pitching side of things, we should expect to see at least ten runs in total.

The Red Sox have scored at least six runs in six of their last eight outings at home. On the other side, the Twins have yielded seven or more in four straight showings.

Pick: Go over 9.5 runs at -120