The Tampa Bay Rays (86-74) face the Boston Red Sox (76-84) in the second of a three-game series Tuesday night. Jeffrey Springs (9-4) is the projected starter for the visiting Rays, while righty Nathan Eovaldi (5-3) is scheduled the start for the Red Sox. The first pitch is slated for 7:10 ET. Below we continue our MLB odds series with a Rays-Red Sox prediction and pick.
Lefty Jeffrey Springs will make his 25th start for Tampa Bay on Tuesday night. Springs has had a breakout season for the Rays. In his first MLB season as a full-time starter, Springs has compiled a 9-4 record. In 132 innings pitched, Springs holds a stellar 2.45 ERA. The thirty-year-old has struck out 141 batters this season. Springs has been especially dominant as of late. In the month of September Springs went 3-0 thanks to an eye-popping 1.44 ERA. When making a Rays-Red Sox prediction, though, it is important to keep in mind his lack of success against Boston. In 4 appearances against the Red Sox Springs has given up 8 runs in 15 innings. That 4.80 ERA is his worst against any team this season.
For Boston, the right-handed Nathan Eovaldi will receive his 20th start of the season. Eovaldi has been plagued by injury this season and has not pitched up to his usual standard even when healthy. In 104 innings, Eovaldi has struck out 99 batters but has done so while maintaining a 4.05 ERA. Health has been a major issue for the thirty-two-year-old. He started his first game in nearly a month last week due to a lingering shoulder issue. In 4 2/3 innings, Eovaldi gave up 2 runs and struck out 3. Eovaldi has yet to face Tampa Bay this season but has struggled in the confines of Fenway Park. He holds a 5.83 home ERA this season compared to a 2.64 away ERA.
Here are the Rays-Red Sox MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Rays-Red Sox Odds
Tampa Bay Rays: -1.5 (+146)
Boston Red Sox: +1.5 (-176)
Over: 7.5 (-102)
Under: 7.5 (-120)
Why The Rays Could Cover The Spread
Tampa Bay has clinched a playoff berth already. With 2 games remaining the Rays do have an incentive to win, however. The Rays hold the last Wild Card spot but can move past the Mariners with two wins and two Seattle losses. That being said, Tampa Bay has struggled down the stretch. They're just 3-7 in their last 10 games and finished September 14-14 overall. However, Tampa Bay has dominated the Red Sox in 2022 to the tune of a 5-12 record. Their prior success against Boston is something worth keeping in mind when making a Rays-Red Sox prediction.
The Rays have a balanced offensive lineup as they rely on a plethora of willing contributors to score runs. Although they have scored the least amount of runs of any playoff-bound team, Tampa Bay has weapons worth worrying about for opposing pitchers. Lately, the main weapon has been shortstop Wander Franco. The twenty-one-year-old phenom has put together a solid sophomore campaign. Although limited to just 82 games, Franco hit .278 with 6 home runs in 313 plate appearances. Hardly eye-popping numbers but he's really picked things up down the stretch. Franco batted .316 in the month of September and is coming off a 3-4 performance where he hit his first home run since July.
Why The Red Sox Could Cover The Spread
Boston may be eliminated from the playoffs but they're still a team capable of competing on a daily basis. The Red Sox were plagued by pitching inconsistency this season. Despite scoring the ninth most runs in the MLB, Boston has a sub-.500 record. That will happen when your pitching staff gives up the 6th most runs in baseball. They've sputtered down the stretch with nothing to play for – going 12-14 in September and losing 6 of their last 10 games. That isn't to say they lack talent, though. Superstar Rafael Devers has put together another near .300 average/ 30 home run season but this team has talent up and down the lineup. Nowhere is that exemplified more than in center field with veteran Enrique Hernandez.
Enrique Hernandez is coming off a solid game on Monday night which saw him go 2-4 and pick up an RBI. Hernandez has been inconsistent this season. The thirty-one-year-old has batted just .225 this season but has had considerable success against projected starter Jeffrey Springs. In 7 appearances against Springs, Hernandez has gone 4-7. He has also walked twice and homered against the lefty. The center fielder has been considerably better against lefties, in general, this season – batting .235.
Final Rays-Red Sox Prediction & Pick
These final few games of the regular season can be difficult from a gambling perspective, but if you must I like Tampa Bay tonight. When one team has their ace – and something to play for and the other doesn't… you see where I'm going with this.
Final Rays-Red Sox Prediction & Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (+146)
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