Two of the American League’s best lineups in the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox start their second series in less than a week, this time at fabled Fenway Park.
The Red Sox will be out for some revenge after the Astros took three of the four games in the last meeting, and Game 1 features a southpaw showdown as Framber Valdez toes the rubber against Martin Perez.
Check out our free MLB betting picks and predictions for Astros vs. Red Sox on Tuesday, June 8, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.
Astros vs Red Sox game info
• Location: Fenway Park, Boston, MA
• Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2021
• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• TV: NESN
Astros vs Red Sox odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Compare MLB odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
MLB Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonTwinSpires Sportsbook pegged this game a pick 'em at the outset and first moved to Houston -115 on the way to Houston -122, where the moneyline sits at 4:15 p.m. ET. The Astros are drawing 75 percent of tickets and 71 percent of cash on the moneyline. The total rose from 9.5 to 10 on a modest lean to the Over, which is seeing 62 percent of tickets/55 percent of money.
Check out the full line movement for this gameAstros vs Red Sox betting preview
Starting pitchers
Framber Valdez (1-0, 1.64 ERA): Valdez looked just fine in his second start since coming off the IL with a broken finger. The lefty held the Red Sox to one run on five hits while striking out 10 batters over seven innings when he last took the mound back on June 2.
Martin Perez (4-2, 3.09 ERA): Perez is also coming off a strong performance against the Astros. The lefty shut Houston out over 7 2-3 innings on six hits in last Thursday’s meeting. Perez has been a pleasant surprise for the Red Sox’s rotation, lowering his 3.09 and his WHIP to 1.23 with that last performance.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Astros: Michael Brantley OF (Questionable), Kent Emanuel RP (Out), Bryan Abreu RP (Out), Josh James RP (Out), Pedro Baez RP (Out).
Red Sox: J.D. Martinez DH (Questionable), Brasier RP (Out), Matt Carasiti RP (Out), Zac Grotz RP (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings between the Astros and Red Sox. Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Red Sox.
Moneyline pick
For the most part, the Astros did an effective job of shutting down the Red Sox’s dangerous lineup in last week's series, limiting them to just nine runs over the four-game set. But the Red Sox have found their swagger and won four in a row, which includes a three-game sweep of the hated New York Yankees.
At the same time, the Astros come into this one playing not too shabby themselves, winning six of their last eight games and their offense has been rolling, plating 5.88 runs per contest over that span. And while both starters had success in this matchup in their last meeting, we are leaning toward the Astros for the series opener.
Valdez is coming off a strong 2020 where he pitched to a 3.57 ERA, a 2.85 FIP, and a 1.12 WHIP, and he looked confident and strong in his second start coming off the IL. And the Red Sox could be missing some pop in their lineup as J.D. Martinez is questionable with a wrist injury.
Perez’s performance this season has been a little more surprising. The lefty’s overall numbers are solid but he doesn’t miss a ton of bats and opponents are still hitting .245 off him. He goes against an Astros lineup that is arguably the best in the bigs at hitting southpaws. At this price, it is tough to pass on Houston.
PREDICTION: Astros (-125)
Over/Under pick
Since this is a matchup of two of baseball’s best offenses, it wouldn’t be out of the question for a new bettor to automatically think the Over is the way to go. But hold your horses. With these two pitchers on the bump and the way these teams played in the last meeting, a total of 9.5 might be a little enthusiastic.
The last series saw the final three games go Under the total, which includes both games that Valdez and Perez started. Those matchups saw a total of six and three runs respectively.
This number is just a touch too high for a pair of teams that have been playing high-intensity games against one another so far this season.
PREDICTION: Under 9.5 (-110)
Astros vs Red Sox betting card
- Astros (-125)
- Under 9.5 (-110)
Picks made on 6/08/2021 at 8:20 a.m. ET
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s MLB Astros vs. Red Sox picks, you could win $24.36 on a $10 bet?
Use our MLB parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on MLB odds?
You can bet on MLB odds at every online and casino sportsbook, including MLB moneylines, runlines, Over/Under totals, and a ton of MLB prop odds. Head over to our best-suggested sportsbooks for the top spots to bet on MLB odds in your area.
