Red Sox vs. Dodgers Prediction, Odds, Probable Pitchers for Sunday Night Baseball

Can the Boston Red Sox pull off an upset on Sunday Night Baseball?
Boston Red Sox left fielder Tyler O'Neill (17) celebrates with left fielder Jarren Duran.
Boston Red Sox left fielder Tyler O'Neill (17) celebrates with left fielder Jarren Duran. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The baseball world turns to Los Angeles on Sunday night with the Boston Red Sox looking to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers on ESPN.

Boston nearly won both of the opening games of this series, but its best chance to pull out a win may come on Sunday with righty Kutter Crawford on the bump. 

The Dodgers are now 17 games over .500 – pushing 60 wins on the season – and they’re hoping that lefty James Paxton can bounce back from some poor outings in this one.

Here’s a look at the odds, pitching matchup and my favorite bet for Sunday Night Baseball. 

Red Sox vs. Dodgers Odds, Run Line and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Run Line

  • Red Sox -1.5 (+164)
  • Dodgers +1.5 (-198)

Moneyline

  • Red Sox: +102
  • Dodgers: -122

Total

  • 9 (Over -102/Under -118)

Red Sox vs. Dodgers Probable Pitchers 

  • Boston: Kutter Crawford (6-7, 3.04 ERA)
  • Los Angeles: James Paxton (7-2, 4.38 ERA)

Red Sox vs. Dodgers How to Watch

  • Date: Sunday, July 21
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
  • Venue: Dodgers Stadium
  • How to Watch (TV): ESPN
  • Red Sox record: 53-44
  • Dodgers record: 58-41

Red Sox vs. Dodgers Key Players to Watch

Boston Red Sox

Kutter Crawford: Kutter Crawford has been money in three starts this month, allowing just one run and 10 hits across 20.0 innings of work. While the Red Sox are just 7-12 in his starts, Crawford has led them to a 4-1 record over his last five outings. 

Los Angeles Dodgers

Freddie Freeman: The Dodgers star has been huge in this series, smacking a massive homer on Friday night to lead them to a win before putting together a two-hit game on Saturday. Freeman is hitting an impressive .293 with 15 homers and 65 runs batted in so far in 2024. 

Red Sox vs. Dodgers Prediction and Pick

Should we bet on the underdog on Sunday Night Baseball?

I’m going to with Crawford on the mound – and rolling – for Boston. 

Crawford has been red hot as of late, allowing just one run and 10 total hits across three starts (20.0 innings of work) in the month of July, and he’s given Boston a great chance to win each of its last three games, pushing the Sox record to 7-12 in his starts. 

Meanwhile, Paxton (4.38 ERA) is on the mound for the Dodgers, and he's gotten shelled over his last seven outings (since the start of June), posting a 6.12 ERA. 

Los Angeles is somehow 5-2 in those outings and 13-4 overall when Paxton starts, but I'm waiting for that to come back to earth with the lefty struggling.

Boston nearly won on Friday night before Freeman’s homer in the eighth flipped the script, but I’d be shocked to see the Sox lose three in a row. Boston is one of the best road teams in baseball, posting a 29-19 record in 2024. 

Pick: Red Sox Moneyline (+102)


Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Published
Peter Dewey

PETER DEWEY

Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.