MLB 2021 Predictions: American League

April is almost here, and when the month begins, so will the MLB season. Just like in my last 7 years writing this blog, I have put together predictions for the season. We only got 60 MLB games last year, but for this year we’ll have a full 162 game season. I just went on my cousin Michael Philipkosky’s podcast, the Master Plan, to discuss all 30 teams, with one episode for the AL and one episode for the NL. You can check out the AL podcast here, and I have my full AL predictions below.

AL East

New York Yankees (96-66, #2 seed)
Toronto Blue Jays (89-73, #5 seed)
Tampa Bay Rays (84-78)
Boston Red Sox (80-82)
Baltimore Orioles (58-104)

I think the Yankees are in a good position to win this division. They lost some of the pitching depth they had last year, but this lineup is still on another level compared to the other teams in the AL East. Even with some injuries last year, the Yankees were able to dominate the AL East, and I expect the same this year. The question is whether they have the pitching staff to go all the way.

This should be a competitive division behind the Yankees. The Blue Jays, Rays, and Red Sox should all finish somewhat close in the standings. The Jays are really starting to come together. The young talent in the lineup is improving and they’ll be supplemented by new outfielder George Springer and new middle infielder Marcus Semien. Their rotation is also really starting to look sharp.

Tampa was the AL pennant winner last year, but this was a team that was highlighted by its dominant rotation and the Rays lost two of their top three starting pitchers. As a small market team, they tend to subtract in the offseason as opposed to adding. As they lose a key element of their 2020 team, they will see a significant World Series hangover.

The Red Sox should get Chris Sale back towards the end of the year, and when they do they could force the Rays into 4th place. After bringing back Alex Cora and making some underrated signings, I see the Sox finishing around .500 like they did back in 2019. However, this team is hard to read. They have a low floor (they could be a repeat of last year), and a high ceiling (they could potentially contend for a Wild Card). The signings by GM Chaim Bloom have included multiple utility players. Bloom, a University of Pennsylvania alumnus, explained some of his reasoning behind this in a Q&A at a UPenn event on Wednesday. He stated that in the past, utility players were often limited to utility role because they weren’t good enough to play a position every day. However, in modern baseball, there are utility players who can play every day at a variety of positions, like Enrique Hernandez and Marwin Gonzalez who he signed. These players likely flew under the radar due to the fact that they’re utility guys.

I can’t really see the Orioles competing with these teams. The Orioles have improved since 2019, but their early 2020 success was a bit of a fluke. I think the young talent is starting to come along but it won’t be enough to make a noticeable difference just yet.

AL Central

Chicago White Sox (101-61, #1 seed)
Minnesota Twins (90-72, #4 seed)
Kansas City Royals (77-85)
Cleveland Indians (75-87)
Detroit Tigers (66-96)

The White Sox are really starting to come together. They have a good ace in Lucas Giolito. The lineup is looking great between young talent like Luis Robert, Eloy Jimenez, and Nick Madigral and more experienced players like Jose Abreu and Yasmani Grandal. I think they have what it takes to make a deep playoff run this year. I have them ahead of the Twins, who choked in the playoffs last year. Minnesota has a strong rotation headlined by Jose Berrios, Kenta Maeda, and Randy Dobnak, but their lack of elite lineup talent compared to other top teams is going to hold them back from more than a Wild Card. The Twins should be able secure 2nd place though, as the rest of this division is unlikely to compete.

The Royals have added talent, including starting pitcher Mike Minor, and they have a decent core led by Hunter Dozier and Whit Merrifield. However, I don’t think they have quite enough firepower to contend. I think they will get third place over the Indians, who dealt away Carlos Carrasco and Francisco Lindor in an effort to lower payroll. Star hitter and third baseman Jose Ramirez is still in Cleveland, but the Indians don’t have any other big name hitters. They also lack rotation depth behind defending Cy Young winner Shane Bieber. Aside from Bieber and Ramirez, the Indians lack star power. The Tigers got off to a strong start last year thanks to the emergence of outfielder JaCoby Jones. They should perform better than they did in 2019, but I still don’t think they’ll be anywhere close to playoff contention in a 162 game season.

AL West

Los Angeles Angels (87-75, #3 seed)
Houston Astros (84-78)
Oakland Athletics (76-86)
Texas Rangers (65-97)
Seattle Mariners (63-99)

This division is not nearly as strong as it was last year. The Angels always tend to disappoint with a lack of success surrounding star outfielder Mike Trout, but I think they’ll be able to win this weakened division. That doesn’t necessarily imply playoff success. The Angels did add some pitching help and that should put them in position to win the AL West but taking down the Yankees or White Sox will be a difficult feat. The Astros should come close as well, even though they lost outfielders George Springer and Josh Reddick. This lineup’s success between 2017 and 2019 was likely boosted by sign stealing, and the depth of the rotation is slowly dwindling, so I have the Angels edging out Houston here, but it will be close.

The A’s will probably have the biggest drop off in the division. They have a very talented young rotation, but without shortstop Marcus Semien and designated hitter Khris Davis, this lineup is lacking standout hitters. Corner infielders Matt Olson and Matt Chapman are improving at the plate, but that’s not enough lineup talent for a playoff team. I have them falling to third place, but finishing ahead of the Rangers and Mariners.

The Rangers failed to contend last year with an awkward mix of young talent and older players, so they’ve torn it down and prepared for a rebuild headed into this season. Joey Gallo is still here but I don’t expect him to stay for long. Seattle has some young talent that is starting to develop and could have a very strong outfield soon once Kyle Lewis and top prospect Jarred Kelenic fully develop alongside Mitch Haniger. Even with the outfield and the rotation improving, this isn’t the year for Seattle to contend.

That’s all for these American League predictions. I’ll have my NL predictions out in the next couple days. In the meantime, feel free to comment with your thoughts.

Predicting the Shortened 2020 MLB Season: AL and NL East

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We are a little over a week away from the start of the MLB season, which will make baseball the first of America’s 4 major sports leagues to return after pausing during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the first of a three episode 2020 MLB prediction podcast series with my cousin, Michael Philipkosky, was released as a part of his podcast, the Master Plan. This episode covered the AL and NL East, as teams will only be playing divisional match-ups and match-ups against teams in the corresponding NL division.

You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify using the links below:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mlb-al-nl-east-predictions-for-60-game-mlb-season-andrew/id1495662343?i=1000485080123

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2uxmuwVDzNCjPbhgq6I10H

In addition, I have added both of our standings predictions below alongside my brief breakdown of each of these 10 squads. Keep reading to check that out.

Continue reading →

2019 NFL Draft Report Cards: NFC South Edition

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Mandatory Minicamp has just concluded, and school is over for me. So today, I’ll be resuming my NFL Draft Report Card series with the NFC South. Teams in the NFC South either thrived in this draft or struggled mightily. Which teams do I think benefitted the most? Keep reading to see my Draft Report Card for each team, including a grade for each pick as well as my final grades. As I post more articles, I will also include links to the rest of my draft grades.

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NFL Draft Report Cards 2019

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

Carolina Panthers

Overall Grade: B+

Draft Report Card:

Analysis:

Overall, this was a pretty solid draft for Carolina. They found a high upside WR in Round 7 to replace Devin Funchess. They filled their needs at tackle and edge early. They even took a QB in case Cam Newton fails to stay healthy. Will Grier is a big upgrade for Carolina at backup QB as opposed to Taylor Heinicke or Kyle Allen.

The Panthers did have a lot of needs going in, and with just 7 picks, it was hard to fill them all. But they could’ve traded down at some point, and they could’ve taken a corner to play across from Donte Jackson as opposed to RB Jordan Scarlett. Christian McCaffrey is a long term solution for Carolina at RB1, and they are set if he gets hurt thanks to Cameron Artis-Payne. It’s somewhat smart to add depth there in case multiple injuries occur, but they needed a corner more, and McCaffrey has not been terribly injury prone. Despite a couple mistakes in the later rounds, this was a pretty good draft, and it would’ve been hard for Carolina to do much better.

New Orleans Saints

Overall Grade: B

Draft Report Card:

Analysis:

It was hard for the Saints to succeed with only 5 picks, 4 of which were on Day 3. But unlike Philadelphia, who was also limited to 5 picks, the Saints found a way to fill a few needs early on and make the most of their draft situation. They drafted Erik McCoy in Round 2 to fill their biggest need as he replaces the retired Max Unger at center. They also snagged a top safety, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson with their 2nd pick. They could have looked for a receiver later on, and some of their later picks were reaches, but the Saints got off to a strong start and should be able to look back and admire this draft class in a few years.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Overall Grade: C+

Analysis:

The Buccaneers had some really strong picks, and some questionable ones. The team will have flexibility on defense after drafting LB Devin White in Round 1 and edge rusher Anthony Nelson in the 4th. But beyond that, the Bucs struggled in this draft. They didn’t really fill many of their needs. I would think they would draft a running back after the Year 1 struggles of Ronald Jones II, but maybe they need to give RoJo more of a chance before giving up on him, something other teams neglected to do for their rookie and second year busts.

The team also could’ve used more depth at WR beyond Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but they chose not to draft anyone until Round 6, when they reached for Scott Miller of Bowling Green. They did sign Breshad Perriman, but I don’t know if that will be enough. Expect to see a lot of 2 TE schemes with O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate on the roster. The team also reached for a kicker once again. This team didn’t have that many huge needs, so I would’ve thought they would fill more of those as opposed to drafting three unnecessary defensive backs and reaching for some other players.

Atlanta Falcons

Overall Grade: C

Draft Report Card:

Analysis:

The Falcons really needed some depth at linebacker with Vic Beasley playing defensive end, but they didn’t end up drafting one. Who will be lining up on either side of Deion Jones come Week 1? I can’t name anyone definitively right now. They did get o-line help, but both o-linemen they drafted in Round 1 may have been found available in Round 2, or at least someone almost as good as them. The team did draft some secondary depth and a couple RBs to backup for Devonta Freeman, but those picks were also reaches. All of their picks were either a reach or an unnecessary pick. I would’ve expected a couple spot on selections.

That’s all for this portion of my NFL Draft Report Cards. In my next post, I’ll be reviewing the NFC West’s draft classes. Which NFC West teams stood out the most in this year’s draft? Stay tuned for my next post to find out.

Bruins Secure Game 7 over Leafs after Strong Start

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5 minutes into the game, it was scoreless. The Bruins began the game out-shooting Toronto 4-0, but the Leafs got into Bruins territory. By the time the Bruins had their next real chance to score, it was still scoreless, but the Leafs were out-shooting the Bruins 7-5. Matt Grzelyck was stuck in traffic in the offensive zone, but he found Joakim Nordstrom open, and just like that, the Bruins were up 1-0!

They went on to dominate Game 7, taking down the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1. They were led by a dominant fourth line and a 30-save game out of Tuukka Rask. Nordstrom, Sean Kuraly, and Noel Acciari made up tonight’s fourth line, and the three of them combined for 2 goals and 3 assists.

The game did not have many penalties. It consisted mostly of back and forth goalpost action. The Leafs ended up out-shooting the Bruins 33-32, but the Bruins were far more successful in scoring.

This back and forth action continued through most of the rest of the 1st period, but Marcus Johansson scored Boston’s second goal unassisted soon before 1st intermission. Johansson had possession behind the net and whipped around for the goal before Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen could do anything about it.

Boston slowed down a bit during the 2nd period. A quick offensive takeaway for Tyler Ennis (who assisted) led to a John Tavares goal to begin the period. This made it 2-1 Bruins. The back and forth play continued until Bruins defender Brandon Carlo was penalized for cross-checking Andreas Johnson. The power play allowed Toronto some more chances to score, but Tuukka Rask and the defense stood strong, preventing all of them. I had expected a back and forth high scoring game due to the recent defensive struggles of these two teams. But the Bruins defense rose to the occasion tonight and was part of the reason why they made it out of Round 1.

After the strong Bruins defensive play, the Leafs didn’t really gain any more traction until late into the 2nd period. But once again, Tuukka Rask stood strong and picked up 3 more saves.

The Bruins took control after 2nd intermission. The 3rd period began in Boston territory, but the Bruins received the puck a couple minutes in, Sean Kuraly got out of a difficult situation, driving the puck all the way to the goal. 3-1 Bruins. Once again, the 4th line stepped it up for the B’s. About 5 minutes in, the Maple Leafs began another power play after the Bruins got caught with an extra man on the ice. The results were much less the same as the first power play.

The Bruins were still up by 2 with 3 minutes to go, so the Leafs emptied their net. Toronto kept the puck under control at first, but after Charlie Coyle’s offensive takeaway, there was nothing to stop a Bruins empty net goal. Patrice Bergeron scored another empty netter at the last minute to make it 5-1 Bruins and secure the victory.

The Columbus Blue Jackets eliminated Tampa Bay, so the Bruins will be taking on Columbus in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Can they come up victorious and become one of the final four teams remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Find out later this week.

Ranking The Teams #24-19, My Version: Who will have to Wait till Next Year?

March 24, 2019March 30, 2019 Andrew Roberts MLB Adrian Beltre, Asdrubal Cabrera, Austin Meadows, Blue Jays, Bo Bichette, Brent Honeywell, Cavan Biggio, Christian Arroyo, Curtis Granderson, Dallas Keuchel, Danny Santana, Dee Gordon, Edwin Diaz, Edwin Encarnacion, Elvis Andrus, Eric Hosmer, Evan Longoria, Fernando Tatis Jr., Ian Kinsler, Jay Bruce, Jays, Jed Lowrie, Jerry Dipoto, Jharel Cotton, Joey Gallo, Joey Wendle, Josh Donaldson, Jurickson Profar, Justin Verlander, Khris Davis, Kyle Seager, Logan Forsythe, M's, Manny Machado, Marco Estrada, Mariners, Matt Chapman, Matt Davidson, Matt Duffy, Matt Olson, Mitch Haniger, MLB, MLB 2019 Power Rankings, MLB 2019 Preseason Power Rankings, MLB Power Rankings, MLB Preseason Power Rankings, Nelson Cruz, Nomar Mazara, Padres, Power Rankings, Rangers, Ranking The Teams, Ranking The Teams #24-19, Rays, Robinson Cano, San Diego, San Diego Padres, Sean Manaea, Seattle, Seattle Mariners, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas, Texas Rangers, Toronto, Toronto Blue Jays, Troy Tulowitzki, Tyler Glasnow, Vlad Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Willy Adames, Yandy Diaz

Welcome to Article #2 of my 2019 MLB preseason power rankings. In this article, though I am covering teams that are unlikely to contend, all of these teams have something to look forward to, and I will be discussing that. Click the links below for other articles in the series (I will add them as I post them):

2019 MLB Preseason Power Rankings Series:

Ranking The Teams #30-25, My Version: The Bottom of the Barrel

Ranking The Teams #24-19, My Version: Who will have to Wait till Next Year?

Ranking The Teams #18-13, My Version: Who else Misses out on Playoff Contention?

Ranking The Teams #12-7, My Version: Who has Playoff Chances?

Ranking The Teams #6-1, My Version: Super Six?

I also released my 3rd annual preseason Baseball Bits!

Let’s jump right back into the rankings:

24. Seattle Mariners

The Case for the Mariners

There were rumors that the Mariners would finally rebuild this off-season after Jerry Dipoto’s roster retooling has failed the Mariners time and time again. But Dipoto was back at it this winter. He did make the roster a bit younger, but there were no blatant signs of a full rebuild. The Mariners did, however, trade away Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz, two of the team’s best players. He also let Nelson Cruz walk. That will lead to some regression this season. Most teams regress after losing their best player or two. Look at what happened to the Tigers without Justin Verlander. Adding Edwin Encarnacion gives them a new centerpiece for now, but how long will he remain elite, and how long will Dipoto keep him around for?

Something to Look Forward to

The Mariners haven’t really found an identity yet this season. But by the end of the year, I think they will be known as a power-hitting team. Encarnacion and Jay Bruce add power to a lineup that already has Mitch Haniger, Dee Gordon, and other big hitters. Maybe Kyle Seager will even bounce back this year. Dipoto seems to have confidence in Seager. The rotation may struggle, but this lineup could be a nightmare at times for opposing pitchers.

Projected Finish: 71-91, 5th in AL West

23. San Diego Padres

The Case for the Padres

The Padres are taking small steps back towards contention after a rebuild before 2017. They signed 1B Eric Hosmer before 2018 to enhance their lineup, and they enhanced it further by signing 26-year old free agent 3B Manny Machado, one of the top two free agents on the market. They also added 2B Ian Kinsler for the year as well and are targeting top remaining SPs like Dallas Keuchel. They should continue to gradually add pieces to the puzzle as their incoming prospects develop and make their way up. Top prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. will likely make his way up this year. Though the Padres won’t contend in 2019, the future is bright in San Diego, and maybe Tatis’ first full season in 2020 will spark something alongside a few more veterans.

Something to Look Forward to

I think the #1 thing to look forward to here is what’s ahead in San Diego. Padres fans might be disappointed in the team right now, but that will all change in the years to come. After attempting to rush to contention in 2016, the Padres have tried to take things slow this time around. It has made for a painful few years in San Diego, but the Padres are more likely to succeed now that they have a mix of veteran talent (Machado, Hosmer, Myers) and intriguing prospects like Tatis. The rotation is still a major issue though. That will have to be fixed before the Padres even think about contention.

Projected Finish: 71-91, 4th in NL West

22. Texas Rangers

The Case for the Rangers

The Rangers may not be what they used to be, especially with 3B Adrian Beltre retiring. But they won’t be as bad as people think. People don’t give enough credit to the non-roster invites Texas handed out this off-season. A lot of the players they added deserved major league deals, but waited too long and missed out. This group includes OF Hunter Pence, two-way player Matt Davidson, 2B Logan Forsythe, and UT Danny Santana. They also added Asdrubal Cabrera on an MLB deal. These veterans could add to the lineup’s core of Joey Gallo, Elvis Andrus, and Nomar Mazara. The rotation has some nice veteran pieces as well, but there is no true ace – most of the starters are about equally talented. The bullpen could also be better, but this team should still avoid last place in the AL West.

Something to Look Forward to

The Rangers may not be ready for contention yet, and the future is uncertain. But their lineup could be pretty powerful considering the veterans they added this off-season like Pence and Cabrera. Andrus, Gallo, and Mazara already made for a pretty powerful trio.

Projected Finish: 73-89, 4th in AL West

21. Tampa Bay Rays

The Case for the Rays

The Rays were on the verge of contention in 2018 despite making numerous subtractions in the 2017-18 off-season and at the 2018 Trade Deadline. They lost more of their players in 2018 free agency, and they didn’t bring in replacements. I think that their money-saving tactics will get to them in 2019. It will be hard to maintain a viable rotation even with the opener. This is especially true when you consider the fact that #3 starter Tyler Glasnow has minimal experience as a starting pitcher. The lineup lacks a true centerpiece as it has since Evan Longoria left. Playoff contention is not sustainable for the second year in a row as the Rays continue to subtract. What they are doing is starting a rebuild. The 2018 team was never supposed to contend, and I expect the same here.

Something to Look Forward to

Though I see the team taking a step back after dumping away some of their veterans, young talent has already began to populate the roster, and it could mean good things for the future of this team. Yandy Diaz is an underrated player, and Matt Duffy, Willy Adames, Austin Meadows, Joey Wendle, Glasnow, Brent Honeywell, Christian Arroyo, and others will also make a significant impact in the long run if they don’t in 2019.

Projected Finish: 75-87, 4th in AL East

20. Toronto Blue Jays

The Case for the Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are beginning a rebuild after trading away Josh Donaldson and Curtis Granderson and releasing Troy Tulowitzki. Yet they are in the same spot as last year. This is because their next wave of prospects, headlined by future All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr., is on their way up. I believe that if these prospects live up to expectations, the team will not regress so much from last year. If things work out, the Jays might be a couple starting pitchers away from contention by 2020. But for now, the Blue Jays will sit around .500 as they struggle to keep up with their AL East rivals, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Something to Look Forward to

The Jays could contend very soon, as they were able to get rid of declining players without suffering from the holes they left. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, and others give me confidence in the future of the team. This year, they’ll look to replace the players the Blue Jays moved on from.

Projected Finish: 79-83, 3rd in AL East

19. Oakland Athletics

The Case for the Athletics

The A’s are coming off a surprise playoff appearance. But though they did add SP Marco Estrada and INF Jurickson Profar to replace 2B Jed Lowrie (left in free agency) and Sean Manaea (injured), expect regression in 2019. Their miraculous playoff run will not be repeated. The rotation lacks the same depth is had in 2018 with Jharel Cotton and Manaea injured. The bullpen could make up for that, especially if the A’s use the opener again, but a playoff contender needs a good rotation and multiple power hitters in the lineup. You could argue the A’s already have the latter in Matt Chapman and Khris Davis, but the rotation is definitely a problem, and the A’s could have used another power hitter.

Something to Look Forward to

If Chapman, Matt Olson, and Davis produce like they did last year, this lineup could lead the Athletics to exceed expectations. This lineup also gives me confidence that though the Athletics don’t have much money, they are capable of crafting contending teams that are mostly homegrown.

Projected Finish: 80-82, 3rd in AL West

That’s all for this 2nd article in my MLB 2019 preseason power rankings. Stay tuned for more MLB and Red Sox coverage soon. In my next power ranking article, I’ll be looking at the teams in the middle of the pack, #18-13.

2018 NFL Week 6 Picks & Previews: Expect Lots of High Scoring Games

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Welcome to my Week 6 NFL pick’em and previews. Last week I went 8-7, placing my overall record at 45-31-2, ahead of 7 of ESPN’s 10 experts, and 3 of CBS Sports’ 8 experts. Some of the offense-heavy teams in the league take each other on this week. The Chiefs face off with the Patriots. The Raiders take on the Seahawks in London. The Chargers will head to Cleveland to play the Browns. The Bucs and Falcons will play each other in an intriguing divisional match-up. Who will win in these likely shootouts? Read below to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week (MNF)

With WR Randall Cobb likely back, expect this Packers passing offense to perform a lot better than they did in Detroit, especially since they are home this week. But it’s the run game that I see leading the Pack. These running backs haven’t really had the chance to truly shine in Green Bay’s pass-first offense, but I could see it happening against an inexperienced 49ers run defense. Without QB Jimmy Garoppolo, it will be extremely difficult for the Niners to match Green Bay’s offensive performance. I see the Packers winning easily.

Upset of the Week

This Broncos defense will make it difficult for the Rams to score as much as they usually do, but I think they manage to score 20+ points on Denver, led by RB Todd Gurley. However, I expect Denver’s receivers to have a strong day as well, despite the fact that they are facing a stacked Rams secondary. They have two dependable veterans in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, and a promising rookie, Courtland Sutton. I think they can handle the Rams secondary, especially with ex-Bronco Aqib Talib on IR. Look for Denver to pull the upset in a game that’s surprisingly high scoring.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted on Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 34-13 Eagles)	Expect the Eagles run game to struggle with RB Jay Ajayi on IR. But I think QB Carson Wentz and his receivers will find a way to win it in New York. The Giants offense will struggle once again without TE Evan Engram, but I think WRs Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard will have strong games to make this close.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect Houston’s elite defense to shut down QB Josh Allen and his receivers. I think they will hold the Bills to 1 TD or less in this game. Meanwhile, QB Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense will have a decent enough despite the banged-up run game and lack of WR depth. I see the trio of Watson, RB Lamar Miller and WR DeAndre Hopkins leading them to victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Colts offense should look better than they did in New England. Expect RB Nyheim Hines to step it up with the receivers banged up. However, I see the Colts D, which has struggled all season falling apart against a promising Jets passing game. Look for both QB Sam Darnold and RB Isaiah Crowell to have big games as the Jets score at least 4 TDs. New York should win easily with the Colts defense regressively struggling.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST UPDATE: Ryan Tannehill is OUT, Brock Osweiler will start	Look for the Dolphins young D to have success against QB Mitch Trubisky and his offense. Their promising group of receivers will not be enough here as the run game struggles. I also think that with the home-field advantage, the Dolphins will manage to score 30+ points despite facing Khalil Mack and the Bears D. With QB Ryan Tannehill out, QB Brock Osweiler will rely on his receivers as Mack and the Bears front seven shuts down the Dolphins run game. In the end, I have the Dolphins pulling a surprising upset at home, thanks to an all-around elite performance.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Cincy’s receivers to step it up against a struggling Steelers secondary. But the Steelers will make this a close shootout. QB Ben Roethlisberger and his receivers will thrive as well against a rebuilding Bengals secondary. But without RB Le’Veon Bell, the Steelers run game will be easily shut down. The Bengals will manage to win thanks to the strong run defense and strong game by their receivers.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Baker Mayfield and the Browns to make this close in Cleveland. But this Chargers offense has dominated and led the team to victory against every below average defense they’ve played. Look for QB Philip Rivers, RB Melvin Gordon, WR Keenan Allen and company to do the same in Cleveland as they take on an inexperienced Browns D. This stellar offensive performance will lead LA to victory for the fourth time this season.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect a shootout in this London game. Both these defenses have struggled regressively all season. Look for Oakland’s offense to dominate against the young Seattle D, and expect QB Russell Wilson and his receivers to have a field day against the Khalil Mack-less Raiders defense. I think the Raiders, who will have more success running the ball, will outscore the Seahawks to win it.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect the Panthers offense to be back at full speed with TE Greg Olsen back. They will be able to take advantage of a below average Redskins secondary with QB Cam Newton’s favorite target healthy. QB Alex Smith and his receivers will put up a fight with a 3 TD game of their own. But look for the Panthers strong front seven to be successful in pressuring Smith and shutting down Washington’s RBs, allowing Carolina to hold on for a victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I think Arizona’s D will step it up this weekend, allowing them to come close in Minnesota. But the Vikings WR duo of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs is just too much for this Cardinals secondary to handle, and their success will lead to an overtime Vikings win, despite the run game’s continuing struggles. The Vikings defense will also have a nice game, holding the Cardinals to just 1 TD and overwhelming rookie QB Josh Rosen.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	With RB Devonta Freeman out, both defenses struggling, and both offenses dominating, expect a lot of passing in this game. QB Matt Ryan and his receivers should have a field day against the weakening Bucs secondary, while Tampa’s underrated front seven shuts down RB Tevin Coleman. Meanwhile, QB Jameis Winston and his receivers will prove that the Bucs can succeed on offense without QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Expect them to pull the upset in a shootout, as Atlanta begins to lose hope after another embarrassingly bad defensive game.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	This Titans roster is filled with young talent on both sides of the ball. Look for their younger players to step it up and lead Tennessee to victory at home. The Ravens should continue their strong season by getting out to an early lead thanks to shut down defense. But Tennessee’s young core will lead to a comeback as they outplay Baltimore. After two straight losses, the Ravens will begin to regress.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	Expect QB Dak Prescott and his receivers to be shut down by a top notch Jags defense. Prescott looked pretty bad against the Texans D. I can’t see him doing any better against Sacksonville. Meanwhile, the Jaguars will manage to get by on offense, bouncing back from last week’s putrid offensive performance. The combination of these two things will lead to a Jaguars victory, despite run game struggles without RB Leonard Fournette.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST Check back closer to gametime for a video preview!	Look for QB Tom Brady and his receivers to thrive, overwhelming the Chiefs secondary without S Eric Berry. Kansas City’s offense should make this close, but expect the Chiefs defense to blow it despite a 30-point, multi-TD game for QB Patrick Mahomes II and his offense.

That’s all for my picks this week. Feel free to comment with your thoughts, and stay tuned for more posts soon.

Red Sox @ Yankees May 8-10 2018: Series Preview

May 8, 2018May 8, 2018 Andrew Roberts MLB, Red Sox, Uncategorized 'Stros, Aaron Judge, AL East, American League, Anaheim, Angels, Astros, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Brett Gardner, C.C. Sabathia, Christian Vazquez, Cleveland, Cleveland Indians, Craig Kimbrel, David Price, Didi Gregorius, Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Rodriguez, fenway Park, Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, Greg Bird, Hanley, Hanley Ramirez, Houston, Houston Astros, Indians, J.D. Martinez, Jackie Bradley, Jackie Bradley Jr., JBJ, Joe Kelly, Kansas City, Kansas City Royals, KC, KC Royals, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Miguel Andujar, Minnesota, Minnesota Twins, Mookie Betts, New York, New York Yankees, NY Yankees, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Rick Porcello, Royals, Sandy Leon, Sox, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas, Texas Rangers, Twins, Tyler Austin, X-Man, Xander Bogaerts, Yankees, Yanks

The Red Sox have had it easy in terms of their schedule over the last week and a half. They played the Rays, Rangers, and Royals, taking 7 of 10 during that stretch. But now they face the Yankees, who have won 15 of 16 against some of the AL’s best. They swept the Twins, Indians, and Angels, and nearly swept Houston. They have been boosted by the emergence of Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres, and are doing fine without 1B Greg Bird. How will they fare against Boston, the only AL team that still has a better record than the Yankees? They will fight for not just the AL East crown, but the American League crown in this series. They are arguably the two best teams in baseball right now, which makes this intense rivalry even better.

Previous 2018 Results

The Red Sox have already played the Yankees once this season at Fenway Park. The Yankees had even more injury problems and did not have Gleyber in the majors back in mid-April when this series occurred. Despite losing Xander Bogaerts to the DL shortly before the series, the Red Sox, who had started 8-1 due to spotless pitching and an easy schedule, took advantage. They took 2 of 3 in the series. The Red Sox lineup had dominated in Game 1 to bring the Sox a 14-1 win. David Price had a rough Game 2 and left early with an injury. But the Red Sox attempted to come back, and after Tyler Austin spiked the infielder sliding into 2nd, Joe Kelly got revenge when he hit Austin. It ended in a bench-clearing brawl that got Kelly and Austin suspended. Porcello continued a strong start in the 3rd game as the Red Sox won, 6-3. I did a recap of that game when the Sox and Bruins won important games on the same night.

Big Night For Boston: Sox, Bruins Win On Big Stage

How They Line-Up Now

Both teams have powerful, home-run hitting lineups. But both of these lineups have a weak spot. The Yankees have seen several hitters who are usually pretty good slump. Brett Gardner, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez all have a batting average under .230. Sanchez is batting .198. It is balanced out by strong seasons from Didi Gregorius and Aaron Judge, as well as early success out of Andujar and Torres. I was never too high on Gregorius, but he has really proven himself this year. The Red Sox do not have reliable hitters at the end of the lineup. Both regular catchers and JBJ are batting under .200, and Eduardo Nunez has also struggled. But J.D. Martinez, Mookie Betts, Hanley Ramirez, and Xander Bogaerts have all thrived and led this team.

The Red Sox have the starting pitching advantage, but not all of the pitching match-ups in this series are favorable for the Red Sox. The Red Sox don’t have too much of a bullpen to rely on, either. Craig Kimbrel has been flawless, but the rest of the bullpen has not always stepped it up when the starter struggles. The Red Sox have to rely on either an offensive explosion or a spotless, long-lasting starter to win quality games.

Pitching Match-Ups

Game 1 (5/8): BOS: Drew Pomeranz (1-1, 6.14 ERA)

vs. NYY: Luis Severino (5-1, 2.11)

By no means is Severino going to be easy to face but I could see Pomeranz stepping it up on the big stage here. Once Severino leaves, it will be the offense’s turn to make an impact.

Note: Price has been scratched from his Wednesday start due to hand numbness. I’m beginning to agree with that 98.5 caller who talked about the stress disorder with David Price. Can he handle the pressure of a Red Sox-Yankees game?

Game 2 (5/9): BOS: Rick Porcello (5-0, 2.14 ERA)

NYY: Masahiro Tanaka (4-2, 4.39 ERA)

Tanaka has been pretty good this year, but Porcello has been flawless this year. Moving him a day up brings this pitching match-up into our favor.

Game 3 (5/10): BOS: Eduardo Rodriguez (3-0, 5.29 ERA)

NYY: C.C. Sabathia (2-0, 1.39 ERA)

I like Eduardo Rodriguez. He has very high potential, but C.C. Sabathia has been great when healthy, and I’m wondering how E-Rod will perform under the pressure of Yankee Stadium.

My Prediction: Red Sox Take 2 of 3

Red Sox Report: Sox Slowing Down, But It’s Understandable

May 6, 2018May 6, 2018 Andrew Roberts Red Sox, Red Sox Report, Uncategorized 'Stros, A's, Aaron Hicks, Anaheim, Angels, Astros, Athletics, Austin Maddox, Baseball Bits, Blue Jays, Bobby Poyner, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Brock Holt, C.C. Sabathia, Chris Sale, Christian Vazquez, Cleveland, Cleveland Indians, Dustin Pedroia, Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Rodriguez, fenway Park, Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, Hanley Ramirez, Houston, Houston Astros, Indians, J.D. Martinez, Jackie Bradley Jr., Jays, Joe Kelly, Johnny Mize, Jordan Montgomery, Kansas City, Kansas City Royals, KC Royals, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Manny Machado, Marathon Monday, Marco Hernandez, Minnesota, Minnesota Twins, MLB, Mookie Betts, New York, New York Yankees, Oakland, Oakland Athletics, Paw Sox, Pawtucket, Pawtucket Red Sox, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Red Sox Report, Royals, Sammy Sosa, Sandy Leon, Sean Manaea, Sox, Steven Wright, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Rays, Ted Williams, Texas, Texas Rangers, Toronto, Toronto Blue Jays, Twins, Tyler Thornburg, world series, Xander Bogaerts, Yankee Stadium, Yankees, Yanks

When the Red Sox began the season 17-2, I knew they would not be able to finish the season going at that pace. So it is understandable that the Red Sox have gone 8-7 in their last 15 games. It does not mean the Red Sox are a fluke. They have still shown signs in the last 14 games that they are capable contenders. But they cannot win every game, and 8 to 10-game winning streaks interrupted by just a loss or two is not realistic for any team to maintain.

But Mookie Betts is still on fire, and Hanley Ramirez has still put up much better numbers to start 2018. J.D. Martinez has also begun to heat up. Betts has gotten to the point in his hot streak where he’s breaking HR records. We will look at Betts’ records, the cooling off of the Red Sox, and much more in this edition of the Red Sox Report.

Red Sox Beginning to Cool Off, But It’s Not a Major Concern

As I said above, although the Sox have cooled off, the Red Sox have still shown qualities of an elite playoff contender. I still think they have the potential to make a deep run this year. What concerns me a little bit is who they have been losing to. They lost a series to the Rays to start their most recent homestand. Tampa barely has a starting rotation. But even a blind squirrel eventually finds an acorn. They also struggled and got no-hit against the Athletics. The A’s are not terrible, they have a powerful young lineup and an improving rotation. But after a 17-2 start, I did not expect A’s SP Sean Manaea to no-hit the Red Sox. It shows that our lineup is very streaky, feast or famine.

Struggles against the mediocre teams is a problem, but the Red Sox have been pretty good against tough opponents like the Angels and Blue Jays. What the Red Sox need right now is to be competitive against playoff contenders. If they continue to prove that they are capable of that, I will be much more confident in their World Series chances. But if they cannot show up against subpar teams, how will they be able to continue to thrive against contenders?

Sox Lineup Has Been Streaky But Has High Ceiling

The Red Sox lineup has really struggled at times. They have scored 3 or fewer runs in 4 of their 9 losses so far. But when the lineup is on a good streak, it can carry the team. At its best, this lineup could probably carry the Red Sox all the way to the World Series. But several guys have failed to come through in recent weeks. Christian Vazquez, Sandy Leon, and Jackie Bradley Jr. are all batting under .200, and Eduardo Nunez hasn’t looked like the same guy that boosted the Red Sox lineup on the brink of contention. Everyone in this lineup has struggled at some point this season.

But when on a hot streak, this lineup can take the league by storm. There were several hot hitters that led us to our amazing start, and a few of our hitters are still on fire. J.D. Martinez is 21 for his last 47 (.447) and has hit 3 dingers in that span. Mookie Betts has been on fire all season. Read more about Betts’ hot streak in the next section.

Mookie Betts Still On Fire, Now He’s Making History

Betts is batting .352 (5th in the league) with 13 home runs (leading the league) and a 1.257 OPS (leading the league) on the season. In addition, he’s 12 for his last 23 (.522). He has hit 11 of the homers in his last 15 games and has had two 3 HR games this season (one soon after Marathon Monday in Anaheim, and another at Fenway this week against the Royals). It’s only the start of May, and he had these 3 HR games within two weeks of each other. He also had a pair of 3 HR games back in 2016. He and Johnny Mize are the only players to ever have a pair of 3 HR games two times in their career.

Betts also passed Ted Williams for the most 3-HR games in team history. Betts is only 25. He has plenty of time in his career for more multi-HR games. Could he become the first person to have two 3-HR games in three different seasons? Could he eventually break the MLB 3 HR game record? It is currently held by Mize and Sammy Sosa (6). Betts is in the Top 10 with 4. Betts is tied for 2nd with Manny Machado for multi-HR games since 2016 (11). Betts and Machado are behind just Giancarlo Stanton (14). Betts is more than just our leadoff hitter. He is one of baseball’s biggest stars. But there is an argument for why he should remain our leadoff hitter, and I look at that in my next Baseball Bits.

Injury Report: Thornburg Begins Rehab, Several Activated Over Last Two Weeks

The Red Sox have continued to be hit by the injury bug. Brock Holt went on the DL in late April with a hamstring strain. Mookie Betts was also hurt for a few days in late April with hamstring issues but has since returned and continued to dominate. He also left today’s game with a wrist injury. But several of our previously injured players have returned over the last couple of weeks. Xander Bogaerts was activated last weekend, and he lost his hot streak on the DL, but he went 3-4 in his first game back and has continued to hit well, batting .303 since his return. Bobby Poyner has also returned from his injury but did not return to the big league roster until May 4th after a stint with the Paw Sox.

Steven Wright has returned from the DL too, but he is currently serving a 15-game domestic violence suspension. Joe Kelly recently returned from his 6-game suspension after the Sox-Yankees brawl in April. Eduardo Rodriguez was also out for a few days on a family medical leave but was activated on the 5th to start against the Rangers. He did not miss a start during his absence. Tyler Thornburg, Austin Maddox, Marco Hernandez, Brock Holt, and Dustin Pedroia are the players that remain on the DL. Thornburg has begun his rehab assignment, and Pedroia has been rehabbing at extended spring training. Pedey is targeting a May 25 big league return. Brock Holt is expected to return next week.

Sox Have Caught a Break vs. Royals, Rangers, But Round 2 With Flaming Hot Yankees Ahead

After a tough road trip, the Red Sox have enjoyed a relatively easy schedule over the last week and a half. They have played the Rays, Royals, and Rangers. Despite having a tough time against the Rays (who have won 11 of their last 14 on a hot streak), the Red Sox have caught a break against the Royals and Rangers, who they won 5 of 7 against. But after that, the Red Sox could have another difficult stretch ahead, starting with a 3 game series at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have won 14 of their last 15, and this was against playoff contenders.

The Yanks have swept the Twins, Indians, and Angels, and took 3 of 4 in Houston. If the Yankees continue to thrive against Boston, they will be proven as serious contenders. But Boston had an impressive 17-2 stretch of their own. Although it may not have been against as difficult opponents, the Sox did take 2 out of 3 when they hosted the Yankees. However, the Yankees were without C.C. Sabathia and Aaron Hicks in that series. They have also called up Gleyber Torres, who has done very well since that series. They have lost Jordan Montgomery and a couple relievers to the DL since the series though.

That’s all for this edition of the Red Sox Report. Stay tuned for more Red Sox posts coming soon.

My 2018 NHL Playoff Bracket

April 11, 2018 Andrew Roberts NHL Anaheim, Anaheim Ducks, Avalanche, Boston, Boston Bruins, Brandon Carlo, Bruins, Capitals, Caps, Charlie McAvoy, Colorado, Colorado Avalanche, Devils, Ducks, Flyers, Golden Knights, Jersey, Jets, Kings, LA, Las Vegas, Leafs, Lightning, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Kings, Maple Leafs, Minnesota, Minnesota Wild, Nashville, Nashville Predators, New Jersey, New Jersey Devils, NHL, Penguins, Pens, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Flyers, Philly, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Penguins, Predators, San Jose, San Jose Sharks, Sharks, Stanley Cup Playoffs, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Lightning, Torey Krug, Toronto, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas, Vegas Golden Knights, Washington, Washington Capitals, Wild, Winnipeg, Winnipeg Jets, Zdeno Chara

I have finished my predictions for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here is my bracket:

The Bruins have a very tough road ahead. They will face a tough Maple Leafs team in the first round, and will likely see the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, another tough team. Their defensive struggles will definitely hurt them in the later rounds, especially if they face the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, or the dominant Nashville Predators. I do think the Bruins will win in the end though. If they can stay healthy from here, they have a lot of talent that is capable of keeping the offense going. The defense should be alright without Brandon Carlo, especially if Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, and Torey Krug do well in the playoffs.

Here are some other notes about my bracket:

I have picked most of the higher seeds in the East besides the Bruins and Penguins. But in the West, I have picked several upsets. The Golden Knights were the league’s biggest surprise this year, but they are inexperienced in the playoffs, and regressed down the stretch after appearing to be the league’s best team in the early months. I think the Kings will give them a rude awakening and Vegas will struggle under pressure.
The Sharks will also go deep. I think they have a better roster than the Ducks and will outmatch them head to head. They will top the Kings, a lower seed after LA shocks the Golden Knights and advance to the Western Conference Finals. The Kings will win in Round 1, but do not expect them to go any further. But the Predators are too good for them. I also picked the Wilds over the Jets for similar reasons.
I think the Bruins would’ve been much easier off against the Devils. The Lightning will dominate in New Jersey. I think the Florida Panthers, who just missed the playoffs and a lot of other teams would have given their opponents a bigger challenge than the Devils.
In my opinion, although the higher seeds in the East will win in the 1st Round, lower seeds like the Maple Leafs, Flyers and Blue Jackets will give their opponents a good challenge. As I said earlier, I think the Devils will be the easiest first round opponent.

That’s all for my NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions. Stay tuned for more coverage.

Crazy 8th for Sox 8th Win

April 8, 2018April 8, 2018 Andrew Roberts Game Recaps, MLB, Red Sox, Uncategorized Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Adeiny Hechavarria, Alex Colome, Andrew Benintendi, Andrew Kittredge, Billy McKinney, Bobby Poynner, Bogey, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Brad Miller, Brandon Drury, Brian Johnson, Brock Holt, C-Vazzy, C.C. Sabathia, C.J. Cron, Carlos Gomez, Carson Smith, Craig Kimbrel, Daniel Robertson, E-Rod, Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Rodriguez, Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Hanley, Hanley Ramirez, Hector Velazquez, J.D. Martinez, Jacoby Ellsbury, Joe Kelly, Joey Wendle, Kevin Kiermaier, Matt Andriese, Matt Duffy, Mitch Moreland, MLB, Mookie Betts, New York, New York Yankees, Rafael Devers, Rays, Red Sox, Red Sox-Yankees, Ryan Yarbrough, Sox, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Rays, Tyler Wade, Xander Bogaerts, Yankees, Yanks

After a 7-1 start to the season for the Red Sox, things were not looking good for them today. They were down 7-2 heading into the 8th inning, as the Rays had scored at least one run in six straight innings. Eduardo Rodriguez had been knocked out of the game after 3.2 innings, forcing the Red Sox to use numerous relievers to finish off the game. The bullpen struggled as Hector Velazquez, Bobby Poyner, and Brian Johnson gave up four runs in 3 1/3 innings But the Red Sox came all the way back to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-7 and extend their winning streak to eight games. Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts extended their hitting streaks to 7 games each, as they led the Sox offense.

The Red Sox started off strong with a leadoff double by Mookie Betts, and Betts was driven in by Hanley Ramirez’s groundout. But the Rays struck back quickly, with DH C.J. Cron hitting a solo homer. Early on, Eduardo Rodriguez was doing well, striking out five batters, including the side in the 1st inning. But the Rays were working the count and and E-Rod’s was over 70 after three innings.

While the Rays were not crushing the ball after Cron’s home run, they scored one run every inning from the 2nd all the way to the 7th. In the 3rd inning, E-Rod gave up a walk followed by a infield single that was originally ruled an out. Matt Duffy was clearly safe, so it was a smart challenge by the Rays. The run scored on a double by Carlos Gomez.

In the 4th inning, Daniel Robertson reached on another infield single for the Rays. 3B Rafael Devers could not make the throw in time. That was followed by a Brad Miller walk, and Adeiny Hechavarria drove in the run with a bloop single that Andrew Benintendi couldn’t quite get to. The Rays were trying to continue the rally, as Matt Duffy singled again after E-Rod left the game, but Hector Velazquez came in to get the last out.

Velazquez gave up a run in the next inning, as Daniel Robertson singled, stole second, and came home on Brad Miller’s base hit. The Sox chipped away in the bottom of that inning. They loaded the bases after a walk, a Christian Vazquez single, and another walk. Rays reliever Ryan Yarbrough had come in to replace Andrew Kittredge after two innings. Today, the Rays reliever combo to start was game was able to hold the Sox to just two runs through six innings, but it was not easy.

With two outs in the fifth, Hanley Ramirez ripped an infield single that Adeiny Hechavarria snagged to save more runs from scoring. J.D. Martinez followed, but struck out with the bases loaded. Martinez was the only Sox starter without a hit, but that did not keep the Sox from winning.

The Rays scored again in the 6th after Kevin Kiermaier hit a triple off the Green Monster to drive in Matt Duffy, who had walked. Kiermaier hit the triple off of Bobby Poyner, but Velazquez was charged with the run as he had walked Duffy before leaving the game. Brian Johnson came in in the 7th and struggled, giving up two more runs. Daniel Robertson walked, and came home on a triple by pinch hitter Joey Wendle. On that play, Xander Bogaerts hurt his ankle as he had to chase the ball into the Rays dugout after throwing to third before Devers was there. He will be evaluated further on Monday, but his timetable is currently unknown. Bogaerts was helped off the field, and it was really concerning when he couldn’t leave without assistance because he has been Boston’s best hitter so far this season. Brock Holt came in to replace him.

Tampa scored their second run of the inning off Johnson after a sac fly drove in Wendle. The Sox failed to get things going in the bottom of the 7th, but after Carson Smith came into the game, the Rays failed to score another run. They loaded the bases after a walk, a Carlos Gomez single, and a walk. But Smith escaped the inning by striking out Daniel Robertson.

This looked like it was going to be a Rays win, as after Hanley Ramirez led things off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch, the next two batters struck out and flew out.

But with two outs, Mitch Moreland, who was a doubles machine last year, hit his first double (and hit) of 2018, driving in Ramirez to make it 7-3 Rays. Eduardo Nunez singled and Moreland advanced to third. Rafael Devers then knocked a ball down the third base line that bounced off the left field garage, allowing both Moreland and Nunez to score.

Jul 5, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) reacts after giving up a home run against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

With that, Rays reliever Matt Andriese was done, and Rays closer Alex Colome came in, hoping to secure the 7-5 lead the Rays were still holding on to. The Red Sox had done well against Colome in the home opener. Just in case the rally continued, Cora got star closer Craig Kimbrel warming up in the bullpen next to Joe Kelly.

Christian Vazquez kept the rally alive with a base hit. Devers scored, making it 7-6 Red Sox. Vazquez advanced to second on another wild pitch. Mookie Betts tied it up with a line single to left as Vazquez came in to score with a nifty slide to avoid the tag. Andrew Benintendi kept the rally alive by doubling to the left field gap to drive in Betts. The outfielders were playing shallow as Benny’s double did not reach the Green Monster. It was now 8-7 Red Sox.

Kimbrel came in and quickly retired the side, as the Red Sox locked up their comeback victory, 8-7. This was by far their most exciting game of the season. The Sox faced easy opponents, but the Red Sox are now 8-1 to start the season, their best record ever after nine games. They had not even started 7-1 since 1904, a World Series-winning year.

The Red Sox head into their three-game series against the Yankees on fire. Will they win their first series against their archrivals? The Yankees have been depleted by injuries, and are just 5-5 after losing to Baltimore today in a 12 inning game. With Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird, Brandon Drury, Aaron Hicks, Jacoby Ellsbury, C.C. Sabathia, and Billy McKinney all injured, the Sox should certainly have the edge.

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