The Tampa Bay Rays rallied to collect a win Tuesday and now hope to take the series at Fenway Park by knocking off a debuting Red Sox pitcher. Boston will send its top pitching prospect, Brayan Bello, to the mound.
The 23-year-old Dominican Republic native has leaned on former Red Sox great Pedro Martinez for advice for making his debut.
However, anyone betting on baseball can see Bello’s potential. Bello was 10-2 between Double-A and Triple-A this season, striking out 117 batters in 85 innings of work. As with any top prospect, the question for Bello will be about how he handles the nerves of his first big league start.
This game is important for both teams, and there will be adding expectations to win for the team and impress fans that have been eagerly awaiting his arrival in Boston.
Rays vs. Red Sox Stats
Tampa Bay Stats
MLB matchups provide pitchers like Corey Kluber with an opportunity for do-overs in the regular season. The Rays’ right-handed starting pitcher got beat up against Boston on April 22 in St. Petersburg, allowing 11 hits and four runs in 5.0 innings of work. Kluber has been up and down this season with Tampa Bay this year.
Kluber has a 3-5 record with a 3.91 ERA. In 76 innings of work, Kluber has piled up 67 strikeouts. What would really help out Kluber and the rest of Tampa Bay’s pitching staff would be if the offense could find some consistency. The Rays rank 22nd in the league, producing 4.06 runs per game.
Tampa Bay is also 23rd in batting average (.236) and 27th in OPS (.677). The Rays also don’t have much in the way of power, ranking 21st with 76 home runs. Isaac Paredes leads Tampa Bay with 13 home runs, while Harold Ramirez leads the team with a .317 batting average.
Boston Stats
The Red Sox have had success climbing the MLB standings despite having several injuries among their pitching staff. Boston decided to call up Bello because of an injury pitcher Rich Hill sustained in a game against the Cubs last week.
The Red Sox pitching staff has found a way to be consistent and rank fifth in the league in ERA (3.57) and sixth in the league in WHIP (1.20).
On offense, Boston has been able to hang win a division populated with heavy hitters. The Boston Red Sox lead the league with a .261 batting average. Boston also scores 4.72 runs per game, which ranks sixth in the league, and has a .739 OPS, which also ranks sixth in the league.
Third baseman Rafael Devers leads the team with 17 home runs, while second baseman Trevor Story also has 14. The Red Sox are 5-5 over the past ten games and have a one-game lead over Tampa Bay and Toronto for second place in the division.
Matchup Information
Rays vs. Red Sox Betting Trends
- Tampa Bay is 38-43 against the run line.
- Boston is 45-36 against the run line.
- The over has gone 37-39-5 in the Rays’ games this season.
- The over has gone 33-41-7 in the Red Sox’s games this season.
- Tampa Bay is 23-20 straight up following a win this season.
- The Red Sox are 22-13 straight up following a loss this season.
Rays vs. Red Sox Betting Picks
MLB odds have Boston as -138 favorites. Tampa Bay is +115 on the moneyline. The over/under is set at nine runs.
Anyone making MLB picks today will have to weigh how much they trust Bello. As far as minor-league credentials go, Bello proved himself worthy of his high ranking in the Red Sox system thus far this season.
However, when you jump up to the MLB level, there are different challenges that come along for the ride.
First off, there will be many more interested observers who are interested in watching what Bello has to offer. With him reaching out to Martinez, there will be some fans who want to compare the two.
However, Tampa Bay’s offense is a perfect introduction to the big leagues. The Red Sox will win this game and keep slightly ahead of the Rays in the division.
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