With a new week on deck, MLB handicapper Dalton Brown is back with one play on Monday's light MLB slate.
7:40 p.m. ET: Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins: Red Sox First 5 Innings moneyline (+114) at FanDuel
The Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins are beginning a four-game series Monday night as teams heading in opposite directions.
The Red Sox swept the Yankees over the weekend, and are heading on the road to Minneapolis winners of four straight. Minnesota, meanwhile, dropped three of four to Detroit and is struggling to put runs on the board on its current homestand.
Boston will turn to James Paxton to open the series, a lefty who has looked dominant since returning from injury. Paxton (2-1, 3.09 ERA) has allowed two or fewer earned runs in five of his six starts this season, and has combined for 25 strikeouts with just four walks over his last three outings. The Twins aren't hitting lefties well, either - since May 15, Minnesota ranks just 23rd in baseball with a wRC+ of 94 against southpaws.
The Twins are sending righty Pablo Lopez to the mound, a talented pitcher who has struggled to keep runs off of the board over the last month. Lopez has surrendered a 4.82 ERA in June and three or more earned runs in three of his last four starts. It stands to reason that Pablo Lopez will find more success as the season rolls along, but that success might have to wait. Boston has hit righties well, ranking 10th on the season with a wRC+ of 105.
After a double-header for the Red Sox on Sunday and given that the Twins have a stable of high-leverage relievers available, let's stick to the first five innings.