Back Boston in Battle With Angels

Angels vs. Red Sox, 4:10 ET

Sometimes you feel like you're on the right track, but the wrong outcome happens. These are usually the hardest games for me to accept. I was right about Noah Syndergaard having a decent game yesterday against the Cubs. The thing I didn't account for was a Dodgers reliever allowing five earned runs in the final two innings. If I played the under through five, I win. I took the full game, frustrating stuff. I'm now going to shift over to the other LA team and see if I can get that one correct.

The Angels are one of those teams that you just get frustrated by every single time you see them. On paper, you'd expect them to be competitive and one of the better teams in the league. Sure, their pitching staff isn't great, but the name recognition in the lineup might be higher than any team outside of the Yankees. Nationally, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani are easily two of the most famous names in baseball. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, it hasn't translated to anything. They do have a 7-6 record to start the year, so at least there is some positivity there. They are sending Tyler Anderson out to the mound in this game. He's been decent, but not great. His first start against the Athletics, he rolled out to six scoreless innings. His next start against the Blue Jays though he found out how much harder it is to pitch against a real lineup. He went 4.2 innings and allowed five earned runs. Red Sox hitters have also knocked him around in the past.

It isn't a very exciting time in Bean Town. I mean, it is, but not for baseball. The Bruins were the best regular season hockey team ever. The Celtics finished second in the Eastern Conference. The Red Sox, their hope is that they can contend for the Wild Card this year. Outside of that, there isn't much to be pumped about with Boston baseball. They can inch a bit closer to .500 if they win the game today against the Angels. They certainly have the right guy on the mound to do it. Nick Pivetta is the one Red Sox starter that I actually like. So far he has only thrown five innings in each of his two starts, but has only allowed a total of six hits and one earned run. He has walked three hitters in both games, which is not good, but he's getting out of jams. Ohtani and Anthony Rendon have both hit Pivetta well in their careers.

I am taking the Red Sox to win the game. I hope I don't get into the same situation here that I did yesterday where a bullpen implosion costs me a victory. Pivetta might only go five innings, but I like his stuff better than Anderson. I also think the Red Sox bullpen is probably better than the Angels. Maybe first five would make more sense to play, and feel free if you're looking for a potential push, but I think the full game is safer just in case Pivetta does get hit by Rendon and Ohtani.

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