Red Sox vs Rays Prediction 7/17/26 MLB Picks Today

The Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox meet Friday in a MLB doubleheader at Fenway Park. Here’s a Red Sox vs Rays Prediction. This article will include a Red Sox vs Rays Pick.

Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview

The Tampa Bay Rays are 56-38 on the year and play the Guardians and Blue Jays next. The Tampa Bay Rays are batting .259 on the season, have a .334 OBP, and have a .401 slugging percentage. The Tampa Bay Rays’ pitching staff has a 3.80 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Yandy Diaz leads the Tampa Bay Rays with 111 hits and 55 RBI, while Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero have combined for 200 hits and 123 RBI.

Griffin Jax and Mason Englert will get the ball for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Boston Red Sox Betting Preview

The Boston Red Sox are 46-48 on the year and play the Blue Jays and Orioles next. The Boston Red Sox are batting .243 on the season, have a .314 OBP, and have a .387 slugging percentage. The Boston Red Sox pitching staff has a 3.59 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Ceddanne Rafaela leads the Boston Red Sox with 96 hits and 39 RBI, while Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras have combined for 181 hits and 104 RBI.

Jake Bennett and TBD gets the ball for the Boston Red Sox.

Why the Boston Red Sox will win

• The Red Sox have won each of their last 10 games against American League opponents.
• The Rays have lost each of their last seven Friday day road games.
• The Red Sox have covered the run line in each of their last six games against American League opponents.
• The Rays have failed to cover the run line each of their last five road games against AL East opponents that held a losing record.
• The Red Sox have led after 5 innings in each of their last 10 games against American League opponents.
• The Red Sox have led after 3 innings in each of their last four games as favorites against American League opponents.

Why the Tampa Bay Rays will win

• The road team has won each of the Red Sox’s last 11 games.
• The Red Sox have lost five of their last six games as home favorites following a road win.
• The Red Sox have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six games as home favorites following a road win.
• The Rays have covered the run line in 11 of their last 12 games as underdogs against the Red Sox following a loss.
• The Rays have led after 5 innings in each of their last four games against the Red Sox.
• The Red Sox have trailed after 3 innings in each of their last five Friday games against American League opponents that held a winning record.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Rays’ last six games as underdogs against AL East opponents has gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Red Sox’s last four games as favorites against the Rays has gone UNDER the total runs line.
• There has been no run scored during the first inning in seven of the Rays’ last eight games.
• There has been at least one run scored in the first inning in seven of the Red Sox’s last eight home games.

Boston Red Sox Player Prop Facts

• Andruw Monasterio has hit a home run in each of his last two appearances after not playing the previous day.
• Connor Wong has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 10 appearances against opponents that held a winning record.
• Jake Bennett has recorded a win in each of his last three appearances.

Tampa Bay Rays Player Prop Facts

• Griffin Jax has recorded five or more strikeouts in five of his last six appearances.
• Nick Fortes has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 12 appearances against the Red Sox.
• Cedric Mullins has hit a home run in each of his last two appearances after not playing the previous day.
• Griffin Jax has recorded a win in four of his last five appearances.

Red Sox vs Rays Prediction

Game 1 Prediction: Jax has been solid for the Rays, and he has a 3.24 ERA on the road this season. However, the Red Sox entered the break as the hottest team in baseball, and Bennett has allowed 3 runs in his last 27 innings. Bennett is a promising rookie who has a 0.94 WHIP and a .219 allowed batting average in 47.2 innings. I’m riding the hot hand and rolling with the Red Sox.

Game 2 Prediction: It’s hard to sweep a doubleheader, and Englert has held his own this season. The problem is the Rays have lost the last 5 games Englert has pitched, as he doesn’t get run support. The Rays haven’t won a game with Englert on the mound since April 18. The Red Sox entered the break on fire. Until they cool off, I’m on board.