Barstool Bush
Predictions

Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Dodgers

By Bush StaffUpdated 19d ago·2 min read
Boston Red SoxBOS(59-51)
Los Angeles DodgersLAD(69-42)
8—4
FINAL
123456789RHE
BOS
203001020890
LAD
030000100491

Jake Bennett (6-4, 2.90 ERA) got the ball for Boston against Emmet Sheehan (4-7, 5.29 ERA) in the 4:20 PM PT finale, and on paper it wasn't close on the mound before the first pitch even happened -- Bennett has been one of the most reliable arms in Boston's rotation, while Sheehan's been fighting his command all year.

Show fees
FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Red Sox(59-51)
WWWWL
8
Dodgers(69-42)
LLWWL
4
Best BetDodgers -164
Postgame

This one didn't come close to hitting -- the Dodgers lost 8-4 and got swept at home. The bullpen bear case was exactly right, LA couldn't stop the bleeding once Boston built an early lead, and the 69-42 record didn't mean much against a Red Sox club playing its best baseball of the year.

Pregame

The Dodgers are still the better team on paper at 69-42 with the deeper roster, and that's worth respecting even after dropping 2 straight to Boston. Sheehan's shaky ERA and the swirling trade rumors are real red flags, but LA's lineup gives it a path to bounce back at home. Lay the price and trust the talent gap holds up over 9 innings.

The Red Sox didn't need a clean outing to finish the job, either. Boston strung together crooked numbers early, and Los Angeles' bullpen -- already the story of their second-half slide -- couldn't hold the line late. A home error didn't help matters for a Dodgers club that's now dropped its last two after alternating losses and wins for most of the week.

Boston Red Sox
Jake Bennett
(7-6)·3.46 ERA
Jul 28 @ Athletics
L
6.1IP
3ER
4K
2BB
88P
08/02 Lineup
Los Angeles Dodgers
Emmet Sheehan
(4-8)·5.29 ERA
Jul 26 @ Mets
ND
5.0IP
1ER
5K
2BB
87P
08/02 Lineup

This is a completely different Red Sox team than the one that fired Alex Cora in the spring. Under interim manager Chad Tracy, Boston went 21-4 in July -- a franchise record for winning percentage over a full month -- and Sunday's win extended an active streak that's seen them take series after series after series.

Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
(59-51)
Aug 2W@ Dodgers3-2
Aug 1W@ Dodgers9-4
Jul 31W@ Athletics5-4
Jul 30W@ Athletics4-2
Jul 29L@ Athletics3-4
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
(69-42)
Aug 2Lvs Red Sox2-3
Aug 1Lvs Red Sox4-9
Jul 31Wvs Mariners6-2
Jul 30Wvs Mariners4-2
Jul 29Lvs Mariners6-7

The Dodgers, meanwhile, are still the class of the National League on paper at 69-42, but this series exposed real cracks. Their bullpen has been shaky since a scoreless run back in May came to an end, and it showed again this weekend. Dalton Rushing got scratched from Sunday's lineup with arm irritation, thinning out an already banged-up group behind the plate with Will Smith still on the 60-day IL.

Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
(11)
  • 10-Day-ILCurtis Mead (3B) — Mead has a nondisplaced left wrist fracture and will be reimaged in four weeks, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.07/31
  • 10-Day-ILMarcelo Mayer (2B) — Mayer (forearm) has progressed from dry swings to hitting off a tee, MLB.com reports.07/26
  • 10-Day-ILIsiah Kiner-Falefa (2B) — Kiner-Falefa (forearm) has been cleared to start his hitting progression with dry swings, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.07/20
  • 60-Day-ILRoman Anthony (LF) — Interim Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said Thursday that Anthony (finger) has started swinging a bat again, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.07/31
  • 60-Day-ILGarrett Crochet (SP) — Crochet (lat/shoulder) said Tuesday that he and the Red Sox training staff have no timeline in mind for when he'll be cleared to restart his throwing program, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.07/22
  • 60-Day-ILZack Kelly (RP) — The Red Sox recalled Kelly (elbow) from Triple-A Worcester and placed him on the 60-day injured list Tuesday, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.07/21
  • 60-Day-ILTrevor Story (SS) — Story (sports hernia) told reporters Monday that "sometime in August is in play" for him to embark on a rehab assignment, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.07/20
  • 60-Day-ILTanner Houck (SP) — Houck (elbow) has started throwing two bullpen sessions per week, MLB.com reports.07/17
  • 60-Day-ILJohan Oviedo (SP) — Oviedo (elbow) will throw a bullpen session next week, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.07/17
  • 60-Day-ILKutter Crawford (SP) — The Red Sox announced June 29 that Crawford (forearm) has been throwing plyometric balls during workouts at the team's spring training facility in Florida, MLB.com reports.07/06
  • 60-Day-ILTriston Casas (1B) — Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Saturday that Casas (abdomen/knee) has been shut down from hitting due to a wrist issue, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.07/06
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
(12)
  • Day-To-DayDalton Rushing (C) — Rushing was scratched from the lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the Red Sox due to minor arm irritation.08/02
  • 15-Day-ILWill Klein (RP) — The Dodgers placed Klein on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to right elbow discomfort, Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times reports.08/02
  • 15-Day-ILBrock Stewart (RP) — MRI results on Stewart's right shoulder revealed tendinitis Saturday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.08/01
  • 15-Day-ILBlake Treinen (RP) — Treinen (elbow) will face live hitters Wednesday, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.07/29
  • 60-Day-ILBen Casparius (RP) — Casparius (shoulder) made the third appearance of his rehab assignment Friday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, allowing one earned run on no hits and four walks while recording just one out.08/02
  • 60-Day-ILWill Smith (C) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that Smith (neck) will need at least 3-to-4 weeks to ramp back up to full speed, including a rehab assignment, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.08/01
  • 60-Day-ILBlake Snell (SP) — Snell (elbow) said Friday that he'll make one more rehab start at Triple-A Oklahoma City before returning from the injured list, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.07/31
  • 60-Day-ILTyler Glasnow (SP) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Glasnow (back) will begin a rehab assignment after completing Wednesday's live batting practice session, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.07/29
  • 60-Day-ILBobby Miller (SP) — Miller (shoulder/back) will resume throwing off the mound this week, Cody Snavely of DodgersBeat.com reports.06/03
  • 60-Day-ILGavin Stone (SP) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Tuesday that Stone has been unable to ramp up his throwing without feeling soreness in his surgically repaired right shoulder, Cody Snavely of DodgersBeat.com reports.06/03
  • 60-Day-ILBrusdar Graterol (RP) — Graterol (shoulder) underwent surgery recently for a back injury he suffered while on a rehab assignment, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.06/01
  • 60-Day-ILJake Cousins (RP) — The Dodgers transferred Cousins (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.05/08

Boston isn't exactly whole either -- Roman Anthony, Triston Casas, Trevor Story and Marcelo Mayer are all out, and the rotation is missing Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Johan Oviedo and Kutter Crawford. That the Red Sox are still steamrolling opponents with that many key names sidelined says plenty about the depth Tracy's found a way to lean on.

Boston piled up runs in bunches -- a pair in the first, three in the third, two more in the eighth -- while the Dodgers never found the big answer, managing just one scoring inning after the third. It's the kind of sweep that turns a road trip into a statement, and right now nobody in baseball wants to see the Red Sox on the schedule.

Sources

MLBBoston Red SoxLos Angeles DodgersPolymarketKalshiJake BennettEmmet Sheehan