Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros:

The Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros are in the thick of the American League Playoff picture. They open up an important series on Monday in Houston.

Tanner Houck gets the start for the Red Sox. Houck has a 3.01 ERA with 2.5 walks and 0.6 home runs per nine innings allowed, but his recent form has been lackluster.

In Houck’s last 11 starts, he has surrendered at least three runs in eight of them and owns a 4.98 ERA in his past eight starts with 4.6 walks and 1.5 home runs per nine innings allowed in this span.

The Astros offense has been at its best at home this season. Entering Sunday, they were ninth in the league in runs per game at home, nearly 4.8 per game, with a home slugging percentage that was seventh in the league.

That offense will look to support starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who has allowed two runs or fewer in all three of his starts since the Astros acquired him at the trade deadline. However, Kikuchi still has allowed at least four runs in seven of his past 13 starts, posting a 6.23 ERA with two home runs per nine innings across his past 11 starts.

Kikuchi faces a Red Sox offense that entered the week second in the American League in home runs per game since the All-Star Break with their 6.1 runs per game since the break leading the American League.

With the Red Sox bullpen owning a 6.45 ERA entering Sunday since the start of July, the worst mark among all 30 MLB teams, there will be plenty of runs scored in Houston on Monday.

MLB Pick: Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros Over 8 Runs

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