The Red Sox are off to a hot start, sitting at the top of the AL East standings with a 5-2 record. They've been getting it done at the plate, scoring 43 runs in those games, and they beat the Nats by a score of 9-4 in the series opener yesterday. They chased Jordan Zimmerman from the game in the third inning, but not before he allowed eight runs on nine hits.

Stephen Strasburg will toe the slab for the Nats tonight, and he was roughed up in his season debut. Strasburg (0-1, 5.06 ERA) surrendered six runs on nine hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings at home against the Mets. It wasn't such a surprise, as the 26 year old was coming off a poor outing in his final start of the spring. Pitching on the road at Fenway against the heavy hitting Sox could be a tough spot for the struggling right-hander to turn things around.

The Red Sox hand the ball to Justin Masterson, who wasn't bad in his debut. Masterson (1-0, 3.00 ERA) allowed a pair of runs on three hits and two walks in a 6-2 win at Philly. While it was an encouraging display for the 30 year old, he's coming off a brutal 2014 campaign that saw him relegated to the Cardinals bullpen at the end of the year.

This will be Masterson's first start at Fenway, where he was 0-3 with a 10.29 ERA over the last three seasons. The total here is so low, it seems like the books are calling for a pitcher's duel, but I think that history suggests we are more likely to see a slugfest.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule