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The Red Sox and Rays are back at it again! It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Red Sox-Rays prediction and pick.
These sides met last week in Boston. The Rays took the series as they lost Game 1 but bounced back and won the final two of the series. Tampa Bay also won the first of this series 10-5 so they have the upper hand right now. It proved to be a high-scoring affair as the Rays scored five runs early and five runs late to finish off the Sox. They improve to (46-40) on the year and a half-game behind the Sox. Boston is (47-40) which is second in the AL East and 14.5 games behind the Yankees. These next three games are crucial for both clubs.
Here are the Red Sox-Rays MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Red Sox-Rays Odds
Boston Red Sox: -1.5 (+140)
Tampa Bay Rays: +1.5 (-170)
Over: 7.5 (+102)
Under: 7.5 (-124)
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Why The Red Sox Could Cover The Spread
Chris Sale returns to the mound tonight. This should be a huge boost for the Red Sox, however, it could take a while for him to get settled. We all know the talent is there and Sale is one of the top pitchers in baseball when at his best. In four rehab starts this season he pitched 11.1 innings with a 2.38 ERA while striking out 19 and walking six. It will be interesting to see how he performs against a solid Rays lineup.
Also returning to the team should be Rafael Devers who missed the last three games with a back injury. Clearly, that gives the Sox a better chance of covering this spread. He's third in baseball with a .327 average and fourth in OPS at .977. Devers also leads the team with his 4.0 WAR and so when he is in the lineup, the Sox are winning. His teammates Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez are right behind him with a .315 and .313 batting average so that trio alongside Trevor Story makes for one of the best lineups in all of baseball.
Why The Rays Could Cover The Spread
On the mound for the Rays tonight is right-hander Corey Kluber. Kluber has been facing the Red Sox his entire career so this should be nothing new to him. He pitched very well in his last start which was against this team. He allowed just three hits all night long and pitched six scoreless innings on the road. Now at home, he can try and repeat his performance where he has a 3.08 ERA on the season.
The Rays are marching on even though they are without an important piece. Brandon Lowe remains out but seems to be on track to return this weekend against the Baltimore Orioles per manager Kevin Cash. He only appeared in 32 games this season and didn't live up to his potential, however, he's proven to be a huge part of their success in recent years.
Manuel Margot is out for a long time and his presence will be missed for this lineup. Also out is Wander Franco, who is now expected to undergo surgery on his wrist per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
The lineup will need to continue what they have been doing all year long, persevere. They are facing Sale which could really go both ways. If they get to him early it could be a long night for the Red Sox starter. Yandy Diaz, Isaac Paredes, Ji-man Choi, and Randy Arozarena have been their main core as of late. Expect them to try and keep the train moving.
Final Red Sox-Rays Prediction & Pick
The combined score of last night's game was 15 and so I expect this to be another high-scoring affair. It's tough to tell how well Sale will pitch or even how far he will go. Kluber might not pitch as well as he did last time so the over in this game is the best bet on the board.
Final Red Sox-Rays Prediction & Pick: Over 7.5 (+102)
