MLB picks: Red Sox vs. Yankees, Indians vs. Twins

Some intriguing divisional matchups will take place this weekend in baseball. Here are our best bets for Friday night.

Boston Red Sox (3-4) at New York Yankees (4-1)

Neither the Red Sox nor the Yankees have had problems plating runs this season, and that trend should continue at hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium.

Ryan Weber will toe the rubber for Boston, looking to shake off a dreadful first outing of 2020, in which he surrendered six runs on six hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings against the Orioles. He’ll face a powerful Bombers lineup that features three multiple home run hitters through only five games — Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Luke Voit. The Red Sox relief corps has struggled so far this season, with a 4.64 ERA (17th).

Weber’s opposite number will be Jordan Montgomery, who has not pitched full time in the majors since 2017. Boston’s lineup is not to be taken lightly. It currently leads the majors in hits per game (9.71). Jose Peraza, Kevin Pillar, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Christian Vasquez share the club lead with eight hits apiece, with venerable slugger J.D. Martinez close behind at seven. The Yankees bullpen has produced a modest 3.98 ERA (13th).

MLB free play: Over

Cleveland Indians (5-2) at Minnesota Twins (4-2)

Mike Clevinger has the unenviable task of following up Shane Bieber, who matched a 66-year-old record for most strikeouts over the first two starts of a season after he held the Twins scoreless through eight innings Thursday night. But Clevinger should hold his own at Target Field on Friday night.

Clevinger was 2-1, with a 2.39 ERA and .179 opponent batting average, in four starts against Minnesota last year. The four batters in the Twins lineup with the most experience against him — Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, Eddie Rosario, and Miguel Sano — are a combined 14-for-89 (.157) against him.

Clevinger is looking to build upon a strong initial appearance of 2020, in which he allowed just two runs on four hits over seven frames against the Royals.

Randy Dobnak will start for Minnesota, and he struggled to keep Indians batters off the basepaths in a handful of outings against them last season. He produced a 1.545 WHIP in just 11 innings of work against the Tribe during his rookie campaign.

Look for third baseman Jose Ramirez, who has begun the season 11-for-25 (.440), to continue his hot-hitting ways for Cleveland.

MLB free play: Indians moneyline