Tampa Bay Rays (21-22) vs. Boston Red Sox (22-20)
May 16, 2024 7:10 pm EDT
The Line: Boston Red Sox -103 / Tampa Bay Rays -115; Over/Under: +8.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox meet Thursday in MLB action from Fenway Park. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction.
Starting Pitching Matchup
Zack Littell will get the start for the Rays and is 2-2 with a 3.02 ERA and 45 strikeouts this season. This will be Littell’s first career start against Boston. Boston will send Cooper Criswell to the mound here and Criswell is 2-1 with a 2.10 ERA and 25 strikeouts this season. This will be Criswell’s first career start against Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay Rays Recap
The Tampa Bay Rays come into this one looking to build on their 4-3 win over the Red Sox from Wednesday’s clash. A win here would give the Rays the series win in the four-game set to bounce back from a series loss to the New York Yankees over the weekend.
Rays Starting To Pick It Up At The Plate
Isaac Paredes leads the Rays across the board with 45 hits, 8 home runs, 23 RBIs and a .302 batting average as well as a .384 OBP. Yandy Diaz has 44 hits with a team-high 9 doubles while Jose Caballero has a team-high 17 stolen bases. Randy Arozarena has 8 home runs, 18 RBIs along with a team-high 55 strikeouts and 7 stolen bases.
Boston Red Sox Recap
The Boston Red Sox will be looking to rebound after their loss to the Rays on Wednesday, hoping to salvage a series split with the Rays to build on a positive result with a series win over Washington over the weekend.
Red Sox Still Having Issues With Consistency
Jarren Duran leads the Red Sox with 46 hits along with 9 stolen bases, 11 doubles, 6 triples and 44 strikeouts and also has 16 RBIs so far this season. Tyler O’Neill has a team-high 10 home runs and Triston Casas has 6 homers with 10 RBIs as well while Wilyer Abreu has 10 doubles. Ceddanne Rafaela also has a team-leading 23 RBIs this season.
Why the Tampa Bay Rays will win
- The Red Sox have lost nine of their last 11 games as home favorites against AL East opponents.
- The Rays have won seven of their last eight games at Fenway Park.
- The Red Sox have failed to cover the run line in each of their last 10 home games against the Rays following a home loss.
- The Rays have covered the run line in each of their last eight games at Fenway Park.
Boston Red Sox Player Prop Facts
- Rafael Devers has scored a run in seven of his last eight appearances with the Red Sox as home favorites against the Rays.
- Connor Wong has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 13 appearances in night games.
- Trevor Story has hit a home run in four of his five previous appearances with his team as a home favorite against the Rays.
- Connor Wong has recorded at least one Single in each of his last 13 appearances in night games.
- Trevor Story has recorded at least one RBI in four of his five previous appearances with his team as a home favorite against the Rays.
- Trevor Story has recorded at least one total base in each of his last eight appearances against AL East opponents.
- Tyler O’Neill ranks 5th amongst qualified players for Slugging Percentage (.573) this season.
Tampa Bay Rays Player Prop Facts
- Brandon Lowe has recorded at least one RBI in seven of his last eight appearances against AL East opponents that held a winning record.
- Amed Rosario has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 10 road appearances against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Brandon Lowe has scored at least one run in seven of his last eight road appearances against opponents that held a winning record.
- Amed Rosario has recorded at least one total base in each of his last 10 road appearances against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Brandon Lowe has hit a home run in three of his last four appearances against AL East opponents that held a winning record.
- Josh Lowe has recorded at least one Double in five of his last six road appearances against opponents that held a winning record.
- Yandy Diaz has recorded at least one Single in 10 of his last 11 road appearances against the Red Sox after playing the previous day.
- Jose Caballero ranks 2nd in the league in Steals (17) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Boston Red Sox rank T1st in the league for triples this season (10).
- The Boston Red Sox rank 1st in the league for ERA this season (2.78).
- The Tampa Bay Rays rank 30th in the league for home runs allowed this season (56).
- The Tampa Bay Rays rank 5th in the league for steals this season (50).
Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction
I’m on the Rays here. The Red Sox have been decent in spots, and Cooper Criswell’s been a nice find for this rotation that’s been in need of pitchers to eat up innings. However, the Rays I think are still the better team here and are starting to heat up at the dish, and Littell’s been a solid starting option for Tampa Bay in his own right. The Rays have owned this head-to-head matchup in recent years, and I look for Thursday’s series finale to be no different. Give me Tampa Bay in this one.
