Boston Red Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction: Astros are the hot side right now

Wednesday marks the beginning of game three of a Major League Baseball series between the Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

The Boston Red Sox are now mired in a three-game losing slump and need to break it. The Red Sox now trail the race for the wild card by 6.5 games. The pitching staff of the Red Sox is ranked 19th in earned run average (4.46), 20th in walks allowed per nine innings (1.34), and 26th in quality starts (37). The offensive production of the Boston Red Sox ranks eighth in terms of runs per game (4.97), third in terms of batting average (.265), and fourteenth in terms of home runs (159). The Boston Red Sox are led in hits and runs batted in by Masataka Yoshida, who has 134 and 62, respectively, while Justin Turner and Alex Verdugo have a combined total of 262 hits and 137 RBI. Kutter Crawford is going to receive the start, and so far this season he has a 6-6 record, a 3.65 earned run average, and 101 strikeouts. It will be the second time in Crawford's career that he faces off against the Houston Astros.

The Houston Astros are looking to add to their current winning streak of four games. It is currently a three-way tie for first place in the American League West between the Houston Astros, the Texas Rangers, and the Seattle Mariners. The pitching staff for the Houston Astros is currently ranked eighth in earned run average (3.94), 18th in WHIP (1.29), and sixth in quality starts (59). The offensive production of the Houston Astros ranks fifth in terms of runs per game (5.04), ninth in terms of batting average (.257), and ninth in terms of home runs (177). The Astros are led in hits and runs batted in by Kyle Tucker, who has 140 and 97, respectively, while Alex Bregman and Jeremy Pena have a combined 256 hits and 135 RBI. This is Framber Valdez's turn to pitch, and so far he has a 9-9 record, a 3.40 earned run average, and 159 strikeouts for the season. In his career against the Boston Red Sox, Valdez has posted a record of 2-1 with an earned run average of 1.59 and 19 strikeouts.

If the Red Sox want to have any hope of making a run for one of the wild card spots in September, they absolutely have to win this game. There is value in taking a huge chance with Kutter Crawford scheduled to pitch. However, the Astros are playing better ball and were able to snag Framber Valdez for a bargain price. Valdez is a pitcher who has a 3.40 earned run average and a 1.11 walk-hit ratio. It would be difficult to pass up this deal with the Astros, particularly given the fact that the Red Sox are seeing their probable chances of making the playoffs swiftly diminish.