The Tampa Bay Rays (7-7) host the Boston Red Sox (7-7) on Saturday at Tropicana Field in the second meeting of a three-game set. The Red Sox picked up the win on Friday and will look to claim the series win. Find out which team will come out on top in our Red Sox vs Rays prediction.
- Date/Time: April 23, 6:10 p.m. ET
- Stadium: Tropicana Field
- TV Coverage: Bally Sports, NESN
- Sportsbook Odds: Rays -119 | O/U 8 (Line History)
- Red Sox vs Rays Matchup Report
Red Sox vs Rays Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Sportsbook Odds
The Rays opened as the slim home favorite at -119 on the moneyline with the Red Sox going off at -103. The total was set at eight runs with the UNDER going 4-1 in the last five meetings at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay has been cold with just three wins in its last nine outings and a 1-4 record in its last five home games, making the visitors a tempting pick for your Red Sox vs Rays prediction.
Starting Pitchers
J.P. Feyereisen (0-0) is set to make his second start of the season for the Rays. The right-hander has made five total appearances this season, allowing jsut two hits and no earned runs over 5.1 innings. Feyereisen made 55 relief appearances last season, sporting a 4-4 record with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP.
Garrett Whitlock (1-0) will take the mound for Boston in his first career start. He’s made four appearances this season, posting a 0.93 ERA and a 0.62 WHIP through 9.2 innings. Whitlock was used as a closer in his last outing on April 19 as he picked up the save against the Toronto Blue Jays in a perfect ninth inning.
Get the best Red Sox vs Rays odds and lines available from our recommended sportsbooks for your favorite picks of the night.
- Best Spread-168+148BOS+1.5-1.5TB
- Best Moneyline+131-142BOSTB
- Best Total+100-120Over7.57.5Under
Boston Takes Series Opener Over Tampa Bay
The Red Sox defeated the Rays 4-3 in the first meeting of the series on Friday as they did all their damage in the first three innings of the ballgame. Alex Verdugo and Enrique Hernandez each had two hits and an RBI while Xander Bogaerts also had three hits to lead the offense. Starter Michael Wacha gave up three hits and two earned runs in five innings of work to earn the win.
Bogaerts has had a standout start to the season for Boston, boasting a team-leading .385 batting average, .407 on-base percentage and .558 slugging percentage. Verdugo and Rafael Devers have provided some punch as well with three home runs each in this early season.
Franco Continues To Lead Rays Offense
Wander Franco was the lone bright spot for the Rays offense on Friday as he had two hits, two RBI and two runs. Corey Kluber had a rough night on the mound as he gave up 11 hits and four earned runs in five innings of work. The loss snapped a two-game win streak for Tampa Bay, which had just one victory in its six games prior.
The Rays are averaging 4.62 runs per game so far, good for eighth in the majors. Franco has been the hot hand for Tampa Bay with 10 RBI to go with a .393 batting average and .714 slugging percentage.
Red Sox vs Rays Pick & Insights
Red Sox: Keys To Victory
While the Rays have struggled to pick up wins they still own a deadly offense that can break any game open. The Red Sox will need to get a strong game from Whitlock and the bullpen to keep the Rays bats at bay.
Rays: Keys To Victory
The Rays will want to get to Whitlock early as the Red Sox pitcher will be in unfamiliar territory getting the start. If Tampa Bay can rattle Whitlock and build an early lead, they’ll be in a good position to win.
Odds Shark’s Computer Red Sox vs Rays Prediction: Red Sox ML +112
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- Boston is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
- The UNDER is 6-1 in Boston’s last 7 games.
- Boston is 7-2 in its last 9 games played on Saturday.
