MLB Baseball Betting – Indians Host Surging Red Sox

MLB baseball betting players who know better probably didn’t panic when Boston got off to a slow start to the 2011 season, as they had a few new players who were getting used to their new teammates, and a new city. The Red Sox have won eight of their last 10 heading into Monday’s series opener in Cleveland, and they’ll have their ace on the hill on Tuesday.

Red Sox Indians Betting – 7:05 PM ET

Josh Beckett (3-1, 1.73) allowed his first run in four starts and left after six innings because of a pulled muscle in his neck, earning a no-decision in a 4-3 win over Detroit, but he says he’s fine and should be ready to go on Tuesday. Even though NHL hockey news is garnering a lot of attention in Boston with the Bruins still in the playoffs, the Red Sox rule the city and a healthy Beckett has been key to their resurgence. Beckett is 3-5 in eight starts against the Indians in his career, posting a 5.55 ERA, and he was on the wrong end of a 3-1 loss in Cleveland on April 5th, his only loss of the season, so he’ll be out for revenge.

The Indians counter with Fausto Carmona (3-4, 4.76), and you have no idea what you’re going to get from him. Either he’s tossing seven shutout innings of two-hit ball, which was what he did to Boston in a 1-0 win earlier this season, or he’s getting lit up as he did in his last start in Chicago as the White Sox rocked Carmona for eight runs on seven hits over five innings, striking out three and walking two in an 8-2 loss. After the game on April 7th, Carmona is now 2-3 in eight outings (six starts) against the Red Sox, including a pair of blown saves, with an ERA of 3.44.

The Red Sox could be the favorites in your sports bookie software, even though they’ve dropped five in a row in Cleveland and were swept there in April. Look for the Red Sox to come out and prove they’re a better team than they showed in that series, unless Beckett isn’t 100% in regards to his neck. He says he is, and it’s fair to be skeptical after the amount of injuries he’s suffered in the last few years. However, the Red Sox may not even need him at his best if they can get to Carmona, which is a good possibility. He’s been inconsistent since his 19-win season in 2007, and you have to err on the side of caution with him. Take the Red Sox in your online sportsbook.