The Rays are the story of the early AL East, and it isn't close. They take the field at Fenway with a 25-12 record, riding a 5-game win streak per their last-5 log, and according to the wires they're chasing what would be their 8th straight win and 14th in 15. That is a team in full flight.
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 — no
- Day-To-DayTy Johnson SP — no
- Day-To-DayLogan Driscoll C — no
- Day-To-DayKeyshawn Askew RP — no
- Day-To-DayTre' Morgan 1B — no
- Day-To-DayAlfredo Zarraga RP — no
- Day-To-DayJohn Rooney RP — no
- Day-To-DayTJ Nichols P — no
- 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.
- Day-To-DayHobie Harris RP — Harris was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
- 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.
- 15-Day-ILJustin Slaten RP — Slaten (oblique) allowed one hit and struck out two over a scoreless inning for Double-A Portland on Sunday.
- 15-Day-ILDanny Coulombe RP — The Red Sox placed Coulombe on the 15-day injured list Monday with cervical spasms.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.