The streaking Tampa Bay Rays will go for their eighth straight win as they play host to the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. New England Sports Network will broadcast the action and the game is slated to get underway at 1:10 p.m. ET.
Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays Odds
Tampa Bay (-115) is hosting this one as the favorite against Boston (+105) and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under for this day game at 8 runs. Odds for betting on the game’s total stand at -105 for the under and -115 for the over. Bettors can also wager on the game’s spread with the runline odds sitting at -200 for the Red Sox +1.5 runs and +170 for the Rays -1.5.
The Rays are 69-61 straight up (SU) and 70-59 against the spread (ATS). The team’s gained 12.7 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 12.6 units (ATS). Tampa Bay has covered the spread four times in its last seven games and the under has hit in four of those seven. The Red Sox have gone 90-41 SU this year and are 79-51 ATS. In total, the team’s accumulated 32.0 units for gamblers taking the moneyline and 28.6 units ATS. Boston has covered the spread four times in its last seven games and the total has gone under in three of those seven.
Rays games have had an over/under record of 54-71-4 in 2018. The Red Sox have an over/under record of 60-64-6.
Nathan Eovaldi will get the nod for the visiting Red Sox. The right-handed Eovaldi (5-5, 3.81 ERA) has recorded 69 strikeouts in 85 innings so far. He has yet to face the Rays this year and did not record a start against them in 2017, either.
The Rays are putting the ball in the hands of lefty Blake Snell (15-5, 2.07 ERA), who’s got 160 strikeouts and 51 walks to his credit, as well as a WHIP of 1.01. Snell is 2-0 with 19 strikeouts and a 0.95 ERA across three starts against Boston this year.
As a unit, Tampa Bay’s pitchers have given up 3.9 runs per game overall this year. The club’s starting pitching staff has a 3.70 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.68 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 8.3 K/9. In 58 games against divisional foes, Rays starters have an ERA of 4.72 and the bullpen’s ERA is 3.65.
The Tampa Bay offense has produced 4.2 runs per contest, including 4.0 per game against divisional foes and 5.8 per game over its last five. The team has slashed .347/.423/.491 over its last five games and is 5-0 SU during that stretch.
The Rays’ batters have been led by third baseman Matt Duffy and outfielder Mallex Smith. Duffy is slashing .296/.354/.369 with four home runs, 33 RBIs and 45 runs scored, while Smith is batting .307 with 115 hits, 31 RBIs, 50 runs and 27 steals.
In the other dugout, Boston’s pitchers have allowed 3.7 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 3.67 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 9.49 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 3.32, along with a WHIP of 1.19.
The Red Sox offense has slashed .269/.340/.458 on its way to 5.4 runs scored per game in 2018, including 5.5 runs per game against divisional foes and 4.8 per game over the team’s last five contests (2-3 SU).
Boston’s offensive production has been sparked by J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts, who collectively have launched 65 home runs. Martinez is hitting .337/.407/.657 with 38 home runs, 110 RBIs and 96 runs scored, while Betts (.335/.422/.628) is up to 27 homers, 64 RBIs, 104 runs and 25 stolen bases.
The Red Sox have gained 0.6 units and are 15-14 ATS when facing a lefty starter this season. The over has cashed in 14 of those games, compared to 14 that’ve gone under against left-handed starting pitchers. On the other hand, the Rays have netted 5.4 units and are 48-43 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over has hit in 42 of those games, as opposed to 47 that’ve gone under.
Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays MLB Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Rays, ATS Winner – Red Sox, O/U – OVER
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Notes
Betting Notes
The over has cashed in three of Boston’s last seven games.
The Red Sox have hit four home runs in their last 10 games, including three over their last five.
Boston has recorded 22.2 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 24.4 over its last five.
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