Austin Meadows and the Tampa Bay Rays will take on their AL East foe Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in a Sunday showdown. The matchup will get going at 1:05 p.m. ET and fans hoping to watch it can tune in to New England Sports Network.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox Odds
Las Vegas has Tampa Bay (-115) as the favorite over Boston (+105). The total currently stands at 9 runs and bettors can play the over or the under for -110. This game currently has a runline of Rays -1.5 (+130) and Red Sox +1.5 (-150).
The Red Sox are 34-31 straight up (SU) and 27-36 against the spread (ATS). The team’s lost 12.1 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 12.2 units ATS. The Rays are 39-24 SU and have gone 36-25 against the spread. Overall, the team’s gained 4.1 units for moneyline bettors and 9.5 units ATS.
Boston games have had an over/under record of 35-26-2 so far in 2019. Tampa Bay has been a decent under bet with a total record of 25-32-4.
Southpaw Blake Snell will get the start for the visiting Rays. Snell is 3-5 with a 3.68 ERA and 91 strikeouts. This will be his first start against Boston this year. He did make four starts against the Red Sox in 2018, posting a 3-0 record against them with a 1.08 ERA and 27 strikeouts.
The Red Sox are putting the ball in the hands of lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (6-3, 4.88 ERA), who has 73 strikeouts and 20 walks as well as a WHIP of 1.37. Rodriguez is 0-0 with six strikeouts and a 5.06 ERA in one start against Tampa Bay this year.
Tampa Bay’s pitching staff allowed 3.3 runs per game and its starters own a 2.60 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 10.20 K/9. The bullpen has logged an ERA of 3.42, along with a K/9 of 8.81.
Rays hitters have slashed .261/.338/.437 on their way to 4.7 runs scored per game in 2019, including 4.6 runs per game against divisional foes and 5.0 per game over the team’s last five contests (4-1 SU).
Austin Meadows and Avisail Garcia have paced Tampa Bay’s hitters. Meadows is hitting .346/.420/.626 with 12 home runs, 38 RBIs, 31 runs and eight stolen bases. Garcia (.296/.351/.512) has produced 11 homers, 28 RBIs, 33 runs and six stolen bases.
In the home-team dugout, Boston’s pitching staff has allowed 4.7 runs per game overall in 2019. The club’s starters have a 4.62 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 4.06 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 10.4 K/9. In 26 games against AL East foes, Red Sox starters have an ERA of 4.27 and the bullpen’s ERA is 4.41.
Boston’s offense has put up 5.3 runs per outing, including 4.2 per game against divisional foes and 4.6 per game over its last five. The team’s hit .221/.306/.356 over its last five games and is 3-2 SU during that span.
Third baseman Rafael Devers and shortstop Xander Bogaerts have led the Red Sox hitters this year. Devers is slashing .301/.361/.486 with nine home runs, 40 RBIs, 47 runs and eight stolen bases, and Bogaerts has put up a line of .295/.375/.523 with 12 homers, 42 RBIs and 50 runs scored.
The Rays have gained 5.0 units and are 14-5 ATS when facing a lefty starter this season. The over has cashed in six of those games, compared to 13 that’ve gone under against left-handed starting pitchers. On the other hand, the Red Sox have lost 7.4 units and are 6-12 ATS when facing a lefty starter. The over has hit in 10 of those games, compared to seven that’ve gone under.
Rays vs. Red Sox Free Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Red Sox, ATS Winner – Red Sox, O/U – OVER
Betting Notes
- The under has cashed in three of Tampa Bay’s last seven games.
- Tampa Bay has recorded 25.1 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 games and 25.0 over its last five.
- Each team has hit 12 home runs over its last 10 games.
- The Rays have a team OPS of .775 this season, including an OPS of .736 against left-handed pitchers. The Red Sox’ OPS stands at .778 overall and .743 against southpaws.
