Red Sox vs Braves Pick: Underachieving Teams Continue Their Series (May 31)

• Our Red Sox vs Braves pick digs into two underachieving teams trying to gain some traction and get back into contention
• When looking at the most disappointing teams in MLB, both the Red Sox and Braves are in the conversation
• Atlanta is somewhat justified in saying injuries led to their slow start
• Boston has no such wiggle room, and the notoriously vocal Red Sox fans are growing restless

How Long Will the BoSox Sit and Wait?

The Red Sox spent a lot of money and assets over the winter to try to return to championship contention. Yet they are in essentially the same position they were in a year ago to the day, looming double-digits out of 1st place in the AL East.

It’s not simply that they’re underachieving, but they’re having unnecessary drama, mostly through self-inflicted wounds. Again and again, they are trying to get slugger Rafael Devers to do things he does not want to do. First, it was becoming the full-time DH with Alex Bregman taking over 3rd base. Then it was moving to 1st base after the season-ending knee injury to Triston Casas.

Devers, the highest-paid player on the team, said he would not move to 1st base, and the team seems to be trying to make him look selfish by leaking it to the media.

Why the club would want to alienate its best hitter is a mystery, like the Red Sox as a whole are a mystery.

Against the Braves, they send Walker Buehler to the hill.

The veteran righty has been everything the team could have expected. He has a 3.95 ERA in seven starts, allowing 36 hits in 41 innings. He has surrendered 18 earned runs, walked 13, and struck out 36.

Against Buehler, the Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. is 1 for 12 with a home run. Ozzie Albies is 7 for 23 with 2 doubles. Austin Riley is 6 for 15 with a double and 2 RBIs.

The Injury Bug Continues to Haunt the Braves

Just as the Braves start getting healthy, another injury pops up. Now, starting pitcher A.J. Smith-Shawver is out with an elbow issue, and the team is expecting the worst.

Still, after a 3-10 start, the Braves have done a good job getting close to .500. Despite that, they are nearly double-digits out of 1st place. For the second game of their Red Sox series, Spencer Schwellenbach starts.

Schwellenbach has been a reliable innings-eater for the Braves this season. In six of his last seven starts, he has thrown at least 6 innings. In four of them, he has thrown 7 innings. He has a 3.42 ERA, has allowed 60 hits in 68.1 innings, and has given up 26 earned runs.

For the Red Sox against Schwellenbach, Devers is 2 for 5 with 2 home runs. David Hamilton is 3 for 5 with 2 doubles. Jarren Duran is 2 for 5 with a triple.

Acuña has been hot since his return with an OPS above 1.000. Marcell Ozuna is leading the majors in walks. Several key Braves are struggling at the plate. Michael Harris II has an OPS under .600. Matt Olson’s average is creeping up, and he’s in double-digits in home runs.

Red Sox vs Braves Pick: BoSox Should Stay Within 1 Run

Neither team is playing all that well. The Red Sox have been playing worse and the frustration is palpable. However, Boston is getting 1.5 runs on the run line. Buehler has pitched well in general, and Devers has a good history against Schwellenbach. The BoSox should keep the score within 1 run.