The Boston Red Sox are preparing to take the field against their division rival Tampa Bay Rays in a Saturday showdown. New England Sports Network will be televising the matchup. The opening pitch will be at 6:10 p.m. ET.
Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays Odds
Tampa Bay (receiving -145 odds) is hosting this one as the favorite against Boston and oddsmakers have put the Over/Under for this game at 8.5 runs (-115 for the under and -105 for the over). Bettors can also wager on the game’s spread with the runline odds sitting at -160 for the Red Sox +1.5 runs and +140 for the Rays -1.5 runs.
The Rays are 14-6 straight up (SU) and 14-5 against the spread (ATS). The team has gained 6.3 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 9.3 units ATS. Tampa Bay has covered the spread five times in its last seven games and the total has gone over in five of those seven. The Red Sox have gone 7-13 SU this year and are 3-16 against the spread. Overall, the team’s lost 15.4 units for moneyline bettors in the season’s early going and 15.3 units ATS. Boston has covered the spread just twice over its last seven games and the total has gone under in five of those seven.
Rays games have an over/under record of 7-11-1 so far in 2019. Boston has an over/under record of 10-8-1.
Rick Porcello is getting the nod for the visiting Red Sox. The right-handed Porcello (0-3, 11.12 ERA) has recorded 10 strikeouts in 11.1 innings so far. He has yet to face Tampa Bay this year, but he did make five starts against the Rays in 2018, compiling a 2-2 record against them with a 4.34 ERA and 27 strikeouts.
The Rays are turning to righty Charlie Morton (2-0, 2.18 ERA), who’s got 25 punchouts and 10 walks, in addition to a WHIP of 1.16. Morton made two starts against the Red Sox in 2018, compiling a 1-1 record with a 6.97 ERA.
Tampa Bay’s pitchers have given up 2.8 runs per game overall in 2019 as a unit. The club’s starters have an ERA of 1.47, a WHIP of 0.82 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 10.6. The bullpen has a 3.89 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 9.4 K/9. In seven divisional games, Rays starters have an ERA of 1.09 and the bullpen’s ERA is 5.72.
The Tampa Bay hitters have put up 5.0 runs per contest, including 5.9 per game against divisional foes and 5.8 per game over their last five. The team has slashed .259/.354/.482 over its last five games and is 3-2 SU during that span.
Austin Meadows and Tommy Pham have led the Rays’ hitters this year. Meadows is hitting .357/.423/.671 with six home runs, 17 RBIs and 11 runs scored, and Pham’s line is .288/.404/.411 with 21 hits, nine RBIs, 10 runs and six stolen bases.
For the visitors, Boston’s pitchers have allowed 6.2 runs per game and its starters own a 6.61 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and 8.02 K/9. The bullpen has logged an ERA of 4.90, along with a WHIP of 1.59 and a K/9 of 10.51.
Red Sox hitters have slashed .232/.303/.387 on their way to 4.2 runs scored per game this season, including 4.1 runs per game against divisional foes and 2.8 per game over the team’s last five outings (2-3 SU).
Left fielder J.D. Martinez and shortstop Xander Bogaerts have led Boston’s hitters. Martinez is slashing .351/.429/.581 with four home runs, 11 RBIs and 11 runs scored, while Bogaerts (.294/.380/.471) is up to two homers, eight RBIs and 11 runs scored.
The Red Sox have lost 10.8 units and are 2-10 ATS when facing a righty starter this season. The over has cashed in six of those games, compared to five that’ve gone under against right-handed starting pitchers. On the other hand, the Rays have netted 2.3 units and are 10-5 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over has hit in seven of those games, as opposed to seven that’ve gone under.
Red Sox at Rays MLB Tip
Predictions: SU Winner – Rays, ATS Winner – Red Sox, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- Boston has logged 13 extra-base hits over its last five contests. Tampa Bay has 21 XBH over its last five.
- The Red Sox have a total OPS of .690 this season and an OPS of .683 against right-handed pitchers. The Rays’ OPS stands at .795 overall and .811 versus righties.
- Boston has recorded 17.8 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 outings and 15.6 over its last five.
- The Red Sox have hit 12 home runs in their last 10 games. The Rays have hit 19 over their last 10.
