Published Mar 5, 7:57pm ET by
Paul Lebowitz - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 5, 7:57pm ET
Grok AI
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| Detroit Tigers | -115 |
| Boston Red Sox | -105 |
Lefty Connelly Early, 23, has a good chance to break camp with the Red Sox and be in their starting rotation. In 4 starts in 2025, he posted a 0.6 bWAR, tossed 19.1 innings, surrendered 17 hits, allowed 5 earned runs, walked only 4, and struck out 29. Even more impressive, he did not surrender any home runs.
He began his college career at West Point before transferring to the University of Virginia, from where the BoSox drafted him in the 5th round of the 2023 draft.
He's made 2 appearances this spring, throwing 4.2 innings, surrendering 2 earned runs, walking none, and striking out 4.
Spring hopeful Mickey Gasper is still smoking hot, batting .462 so far. Newcomer Caleb Durbin is batting .357. Nate Eaton is also hitting .357 and could stick as a utility player.
Justin Verlander is the best pitcher of his generation. An unrivaled star who has a glamorous model wife and will go down as one of the top pitchers in MLB history.
The question now is: How much does he have left in the tank?
He's 43 and is coming off consecutive, shaky seasons. Still, in 2025, despite a 4-11 record, his numbers were respectable for a normal pitcher without 3 Cy Young Awards, an MVP, a pitching Triple Crown, an ALCS MVP, on and on.
With the Giants last season, apart from the record, he started 29 games and had a 3.85 ERA, tossing 152 innings, allowing 155 hits, walking 52, and striking out 137. He can pitch, but with the Tigers hoping to contend and already having lost pitchers Reese Olson, Jackson Jobe, and Troy Melton, can they rely on him?
This is his first spring training appearance. He knows how to prepare, so his performance in the likely short outing against the Red Sox won't be much of an indicator.
Veteran Javier Baez has had a solid start to the spring, batting .444 in limited play. Corey Julks has 2 homers and is batting .500.
Their veterans are being sprinkled into spring game play slowly, and they do not have many bats at the WBC, though star pitcher Tarik Skubal is with Team USA and infielder Gleyber Torres is with Venezuela.
Early is hoping to make the Red Sox as a member of the starting rotation. Verlander is taking the hill for the Tigers to get his early work in, and then he'll be pulled, probably after 2 innings or so.
Boston has several bats performing well this spring. Detroit does not seem to be all that concerned about its spring record. The combination of the pitching matchup, the needs, and the way the two teams are going about their early spring training business says that the Red Sox should take this one behind their impressive young lefty, Early.
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Pick
Boston Red Sox -105
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