Game 2 of a 4-game set features Jesse Scholtens against Connelly Early. Scholtens just ate up the Giants for one run over a short outing in his last turn and historically has handled Boston (1-1, 1.29 ERA across two career appearances). Early, meanwhile, got his first crack at Tampa Bay last September and gave up 3 runs in 4 innings — a forgettable debut against this lineup that he'll want to scrub off the resume tonight.
The Rays' run-prevention has been the engine. Recent reporting noted they hadn't allowed more than 3 runs in 12 straight games at one point, tying a franchise mark set back in 2013. That's the kind of stretch that turns 25-12 from a fluke conversation into a legit one. Yandy Díaz has been the steadying bat, and Jonathan Aranda has been productive throughout the run.
The market is leaning the other way, though — Boston is a -133 home favorite and DK money is piling in on the Sox moneyline (only 12% handle on the Rays moneyline despite 53% of bets). Sharp money is sitting on the home side. The total is parked at 8.5 with the over getting the public, but neither side of this game grades out as a positive-EV bet by these numbers.
- Day-To-DayAustin Vernon (RP) — no05/08
- Day-To-DayTy Johnson (SP) — no05/08
- Day-To-DayLogan Driscoll (C) — no05/08
- Day-To-DayKeyshawn Askew (RP) — no05/08
- Day-To-DayTre' Morgan (1B) — no05/08
- Day-To-DayAlfredo Zarraga (RP) — no05/08
- Day-To-DayJohn Rooney (RP) — no05/08
- Day-To-DayTJ Nichols (P) — no05/08
- 10-Day-ILGavin Lux (LF) — no05/08
- 15-Day-ILJoe Boyle (SP) — no05/08
- 15-Day-ILSteven Matz (SP) — no05/08
- 15-Day-ILMason Englert (RP) — no05/08
- 60-Day-ILSteven Wilson (RP) — no05/08
- 60-Day-ILRyan Pepiot (SP) — no05/08
- 60-Day-ILMichael Grove (RP) — no05/08
- 60-Day-ILManuel Rodriguez (RP) — no05/08
- 60-Day-ILEdwin Uceta (RP) — no05/08
- Day-To-DayRanger Suarez (SP) — Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Friday that Suarez's (hamstring) next start will come next week "sometime in the Philly series," Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayHobie Harris (RP) — Harris was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILRoman Anthony (LF) — The Red Sox placed Anthony (wrist) on the 10-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to Tuesday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILJustin Slaten (RP) — Slaten (oblique) allowed one hit and struck out two over a scoreless inning for Double-A Portland on Sunday.05/08
- 15-Day-ILDanny Coulombe (RP) — The Red Sox placed Coulombe on the 15-day injured list Monday with cervical spasms.05/08
- 15-Day-ILGarrett Crochet (SP) — Crochet (shoulder) was able to play catch Sunday for the first time since landing on the injured list Wednesday, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILKutter Crawford (SP) — Crawford has been diagnosed with inflammation in his right elbow following an MRI, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.05/08
- OutBrendan Rodgers (2B) — Rodgers (shoulder) re-signed Friday with the Red Sox on a two-year, minor-league contract, Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTriston Casas (1B) — The Red Sox transferred Casas (abdomen/knee) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILRomy Gonzalez (1B) — The Red Sox placed Gonzalez (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTanner Houck (SP) — Houck (elbow) began a throwing program Monday with 25 throws from 45 feet, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILPatrick Sandoval (SP) — The Red Sox transferred Sandoval (biceps/elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILJohan Oviedo (SP) — Oviedo (elbow) will be reevaluated by Dr. Keith Meister in two weeks to determine his progress, Marcos Grunfeld of ElEmergente.com reports.05/08
Tampa's IL is a graveyard of arms — Pepiot, Boyle, Matz, Englert and a handful of relievers are all on the shelf, plus Gavin Lux on the 10-day. That the Rays are playing this kind of baseball without a chunk of their pitching depth makes the run even more impressive. Boston's job is simple and hard at the same time: shorten the game, get to a thinner Tampa bullpen, and stop a streak that is starting to feel less like a streak and more like a problem.