Boston Red Sox At Atlanta Braves [May 11] - MLB Picks And Predictions

Manager Alex Cora shaved his beard and the Red Sox snapped that five-game losing streak. And while it may have absolutely nothing to do with it, the skipper still joked about making an impact with his looks.

Still, it was Rafael Devers' grand slam the one that helped the Red Sox jump to an early lead, and, for the first time in quite some time, their bullpen was actually able to hold on, even if the Braves threatened to make a comeback.

The Atlanta Braves have been far from the hard-hitting, electric team they were at the end of last season. But besides their offensive struggles, it's been the pitching that's hurt them more often than not.

Max Freid hasn't been the same as of late, Mike Soroka won't be able to play for some time, and Charlie Morton has struggled with his control. They need to address that situation if they want to go back to the ultimate stage this season.

In terms of health and position players, both teams enter this game nearly at full strength. Chris Sale and Mike Soroka headline their IL names and it'll be a while before they're ready to go back.

In terms of trends, it's worth noting that the Red Sox are 42-10 in their last 52 interleague road games and 8-2 in their last 10 interleague games as an underdog.

Alex Cora will give the ball to Nathan Eovaldi for the second game of the series. He's 1-1, 2.94 ERA this season and has gone 3-3 with a 2.71 ERA against the Braves, albeit he hasn't faced them since 2018.

The Braves, on the other hand, will roll with Ian Anderson, who's 3-1 with a 4.01 ERA this season and is 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA against Boston.

Cora's lineup tweaks and moving Trevor Story back in the order did wonders for their offense, and they'll have their ace on the mound tonight. Add that nice value at a plus price and it's hard not to ride with the Red Sox as short underdogs tonight.