TST Best Bets Backs Red Sox at +161, Under 8.5 Runs in Dodgers Finale

Q: Can a finesse pitcher truly shut down a desperate Dodgers lineup looking to avoid an embarrassing home sweep?

Yes — Bennett can absolutely suppress this Dodgers lineup, even if “shut down” probably means six solid, low-damage innings rather than a complete silencing. The case starts with form and profile. Bennett has a 2.74 ERA on the season, a 1.80 ERA over his last seven starts, and even stronger recent stretches cited at 0.82 over five starts. He is not overpowering, but he has done exactly what finesse pitchers must do: throw strikes, avoid walks, limit hard contact and force weak contact. His low walk rate and sub-1.00 WHIP support that this is not pure luck. The matchup also favors him more than the Dodgers’ name value suggests. Los Angeles has scored only six runs in the first two games of the series and several key bats have been described as being in a funk. The Dodgers remain dangerous because they chase less than most teams and can punish mistakes, which is the main risk for a command-and-contact lefty like Bennett. If he falls behind or has to live too much in the zone, this lineup can flip the game quickly. Still, the current evidence points to Bennett being capable of controlling the game. Boston’s pitching has driven its surge, seven of Bennett’s 11 starts have stayed under 8.5 runs, and Los Angeles has struggled recently in Sheehan starts, which reduces pressure on Bennett to be perfect. So the answer is yes: a finesse pitcher can shut down this desperate Dodgers lineup, and Bennett has the recent command, contact management and team context to do it.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 2

TST Best Bets picked Boston’s moneyline at +161 and the under 8.5 runs for Sunday’s Red Sox-Dodgers series finale at Dodger Stadium.
Boston enters the game seeking a three-game sweep after winning the first two, stretching its winning streak to four games and securing an eighth straight series victory.
Jake Bennett underpins the Red Sox pick with a 1.80 ERA over his last seven starts, while Los Angeles is 1-8 in Emmet Sheehan’s last nine outings.
The under case leans on run prevention: seven of Bennett’s 11 Boston starts have stayed below 8.5, and the Dodgers have scored only six runs across the first two games.
The series has sharpened the contrast between a Red Sox club that is 30-11 over its last 41 games and a Dodgers team that just added Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline.