Tigers at Red Sox (Game 1)
The Boston Red Sox finally gained some momentum on the road over the weekend, only to have Mother Nature delay the start of their longest homestand of the season. The Red Sox and visiting Detroit Tigers will make up for Monday's postponement when they tangle in a day-night doubleheader Tuesday to begin a four-game set at Fenway Park.
After Boston opened 6-13, the defending World Series champion picked up three straight wins at first-place Tampa Bay, surviving a 4-3 contest in 11 innings in Sunday's series finale. "That was a big three wins," left-hander David Price told reporters Sunday. "We know the type of team we have in this clubhouse, and I think we showed that these last three days." The Tigers were rained out for the second time in the last three days but managed to sandwich a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday for their second win in three tries. They will start Matthew Boyd in the matinee and Spencer Turnbull at night while the hosts go with struggling ace Chris Sale and Hector Velazquez, respectively.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Matthew Boyd (1-1, 2.96 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Chris Sale (0-4, 8.50)
Boyd has three straight quality starts and lasted a season-high seven innings last Tuesday in a no-decision against Pittsburgh, allowing three runs and striking out seven. He has 36 punchouts in 24 1/3 innings on the year while allowing just one home run. Mitch Moreland is 5-for-16 with a homer and three doubles against the 28-year-old Boyd, who won his only prior career start at Fenway with 6 1/3 solid innings.
Sale's four straight losses out of the gate are tied for the longest losing streak of his career and also match his entire total for 2018 when he finished 12-4. He gave up four runs in five innings at Yankee Stadium last Tuesday, although he did strike out a season-high six while walking one. The Florida native tossed six scoreless innings in his only meeting with the Tigers last year and is 10-8 with a 2.94 ERA in 32 career matchups (22 starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Boston RHP Nathan Eovaldi reportedly will have surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow, a procedure that cost him two months of action last year.
2. Red Sox RF Mookie Betts is 6-for-12 over his last three games after going 3-for-32 in his previous 10.
3. Tigers 2B Josh Harrison was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Sunday's win and is 9-for-74 with 17 strikeouts on the season.