Red Sox-Diamondbacks prediction: Picks, odds on Sunday, May 28

The Boston Red Sox take on the Arizona Diamondbacks in the final game of a three-game series on Sunday, May 28. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET from Chase Field. Tanner Houck (3-3, 4.99 ERA) will pitch for Boston, while Merrill Kelly (5-3, 2.98 ERA) will take the mound for Arizona.

The Diamondbacks are -125 moneyline favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the Red Sox coming in at +105. The total is set at 9.

Red Sox

Day to day: SP Garrett Whitlock (elbow), 3B Rafael Devers (calf)
Out: RP John Schreiber (lat), 2B Christian Arroyo (hamstring), SS Yu Chang (wrist)

Diamondbacks

Out: RP Joe Mantiply (hamstring), OF Kyle Lewis (illness)

Merrill Kelly vs. Tanner Houck

Kelly has been a solid asset for the D-Backs this season, often going six innings or more on the mound and keeping opponents to two or fewer runs in four of his last five starts. In his latest appearance, he held the Pirates to two earned runs in five innings and struck out four.

Houck had a consistent April of two to three earned runs per game, but slipped a bit coming into May, allowing 13 runs in 16.2 innings pitched. However, things settled down in his latest start, where he kept the Angels to one earned run in six innings and struck out eight.

The totals of the first two games were 9 and 3, and going over nine would feel like something of a stretch here. Houck has had his moments of inconsistency, but has largely had a solid season, and Kelly shouldn't be a concern on the mound.

Pick: Under 9

The Red Sox won the first two games of the series, pulling out of their recent road slump. However, I think the Diamondbacks avoid a sweep here. Houck has shown flashes of brilliance this season but has struggled with inconsistency this month. While Kelly is not quite up to last season's form, he has been a very reliable guy on the mound and should be able to hold off the Sox lineup.

Pick: Diamondbacks

  
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