The injury page is where this game gets ugly for Joe Espada. Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, Ronel Blanco, Hayden Wesneski and Brandon Walter are all on the IL — that's a starting rotation by itself. Josh Hader is out of the bullpen. Jeremy Pena, Jake Meyers, Joey Loperfido and Taylor Trammell are all on the shelf. Yordan Alvarez (12 HR, 27 RBI) is doing the heavy lifting basically alone.
- Day-To-DayLance McCullers Jr. (SP) — McCullers was removed from his start Wednesday against the Dodgers in the top of the third inning after he appeared to be contending with a blister on his pitching hand, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. He was charged with six earned runs on four hits and three walks over 2.2 innings prior to his departure.05/08
- Day-To-DayWalker Janek (C) — Double-A Corpus Christi placed Janek on its 7-day injured list Sunday due to an unspecified injury.05/08
- Day-To-DayLucas Spence (OF) — Double-A Corpus Christi placed Spence on its 7-day injured list April 22 due to an unspecified injury.05/08
- 10-Day-ILJeremy Pena (SS) — Manager Joe Espada said Friday that Pena (hamstring) will "hopefully" run the bases this weekend, which would be the final step in his rehab program before starting a rehab assignment, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILJoey Loperfido (LF) — The Astros announced Monday that Loperfido (quadriceps) has started light running and light baseball activity, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILCarlos Correa (SS) — The Astros placed Correa (ankle) on the 10-day injured list Wednesday.05/08
- 10-Day-ILJake Meyers (CF) — The Astros announced Monday that Meyers (oblique) has started swinging a bat and reincorporating other baseball activities, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILTaylor Trammell (CF) — The Astros announced Monday that Trammell (groin) has begun a running progression in addition to taking part in light baseball activity, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILYainer Diaz (C) — The Astros placed Diaz (oblique) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILHunter Brown (SP) — Brown (shoulder) threw a successful bullpen session Friday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILTatsuya Imai (SP) — Astros general manager Dana Brown said Tuesday that Imai (arm) will rejoin the rotation next week versus the Mariners, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILNate Pearson (RP) — Pearson (elbow) permitted one run on one hit and four walks over two innings in his first rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILHayden Wesneski (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Wesneski (elbow) is continuing to complete regular bullpen sessions as part of his throwing progression, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILRonel Blanco (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Blanco (elbow) is continuing to complete regular bullpen sessions as part of his throwing progression, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILBrandon Walter (SP) — The Astros placed Walter (elbow) on the 60-day injured list.05/08
- 60-Day-ILJosh Hader (RP) — Hader (biceps) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILCristian Javier (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Javier (shoulder) will begin a throwing progression this week, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayRanger Suarez (SP) — Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Friday that Suarez's (hamstring) next start will come next week "sometime in the Philly series," Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayHobie Harris (RP) — Harris was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILRoman Anthony (LF) — The Red Sox placed Anthony (wrist) on the 10-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to Tuesday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILJustin Slaten (RP) — Slaten (oblique) allowed one hit and struck out two over a scoreless inning for Double-A Portland on Sunday.05/08
- 15-Day-ILDanny Coulombe (RP) — The Red Sox placed Coulombe on the 15-day injured list Monday with cervical spasms.05/08
- 15-Day-ILGarrett Crochet (SP) — Crochet (shoulder) was able to play catch Sunday for the first time since landing on the injured list Wednesday, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILKutter Crawford (SP) — Crawford has been diagnosed with inflammation in his right elbow following an MRI, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.05/08
- OutBrendan Rodgers (2B) — Rodgers (shoulder) re-signed Friday with the Red Sox on a two-year, minor-league contract, Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTriston Casas (1B) — The Red Sox transferred Casas (abdomen/knee) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILRomy Gonzalez (1B) — The Red Sox placed Gonzalez (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTanner Houck (SP) — Houck (elbow) began a throwing program Monday with 25 throws from 45 feet, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILPatrick Sandoval (SP) — The Red Sox transferred Sandoval (biceps/elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILJohan Oviedo (SP) — Oviedo (elbow) will be reevaluated by Dr. Keith Meister in two weeks to determine his progress, Marcos Grunfeld of ElEmergente.com reports.05/08
Boston, for its part, is playing under interim manager Chad Tracy after the club fired Alex Cora on April 25 following a 10-17 start. The Sox have at least started showing some life since the change, and Suarez has been the steadying presence the rotation needed — sub-1.00 WHIP, 12th in the majors. Getting him at home in a day game against a banged-up Houston lineup is about as friendly a spot as Tracy's going to draw this week.
Houston has actually won three of its last five, so the vibes aren't quite as bleak as the record. But splitting series with Cleveland and stealing wins doesn't paper over the run differential or the rotation depth chart. Bolton's a back-end arm being asked to soak innings, and Fenway is not the park you want to do that in.
The total sits at 9 with the under juiced to -121, which lines up with Suarez's profile and the Astros' offensive injury list more than any read on Bolton. Sharp money on the spread is firmly on Boston (-1.5) at 93% of Pinnacle handle. If you're betting this one, the market is screaming Sox — just know there's no edge baked in (EV is negative across the board).