Red Sox vs Rays Prediction, Pick and Preview, September 1: MLB

Red Sox vs Rays Prediction, Pick and Preview, September 1: MLB

Credit: photo by David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

 
Odds
Time 7:10 p.m. EST
Red Sox money line -122
Red Sox run line -1.0 (+108)
Rays money line +100
Rays run line +1.0 (-127)
Over / under 7.5 (-109)

 

Key stats
  Red Sox Rays
Record 75-59 84-48
Road / home record 34-33 43-23
Last 10 record 5-5 9-1
Streak L3 W9
Over / under record 61-70-3 73-54-5
Runs / game 5.04 5.38
Runs allowed / game 4.63 4.08

 

Preview

The Red Sox are back in Tropicana Field for game three in their four-game series against the Rays.  Boston lost 8-5 last night to end August and now trail 2-0 in this AL East matchup of 1st versus 3rd.  They still occupy the second spot in a wild card race, but their three-game losing streak has allowed the A's to gain ground and both teams are now neck and neck with Boston in real danger of conceding their place if they don't muster up a victory in Florida.  The Rays are comfortable leading the division and have the joint-best record in baseball while possessing the best run per game average in 2021 of 5.38.  If they can fend off Boston for a few more games, last season's AL winners will be a step closer to clinching an automatic playoff berth.

Pitching matchup

Red Sox

Chris Sale (3-0, 2.85 ERA) Chris Sale is back for his fourth start of the season.  The vet pitcher is close to his best after missing the entire 2020 season due to illness and surgery.  He's 3-0 in his other starts with a 2.35 ERA in 2021 with a 1.04 WHIP.  Sale has had a manageable workload this season pitching 15.1 innings and giving up 13 hits with only four ERs and had walked just three batters as compared to striking out 21.  This will be Sale's first game of 2021 against a team with a WP over .500.

Rays

Drew Rasmussen (1-1, 3.46 ERA) Drew Rasmussen will take the ball for his sixth start of the season.  The second-year pitcher has a 1.23 WHIP and 3.46 ERA in 2021 which betters his rookie-season ERA of 5.87 over 12 games in 2020.  He was solid in August, pitching for 16.2 innings in five games, surrendering 13 hits and four ERs while striking out ten batters and walking seven averaging an ERA of 1.75 in that time.  Rasmussen faced the Red Sox twice in the last month and three times overall in 2021 and is averaging a 2.70 ERA allowing only four hits and two ERs. 

Prediction

Sale being back in the lineup may be a good move for Boston but the Rays are on a nine-game winning streak and have only lost once in their last 14 games.  Tampa Bay's bats haven't been contained and are the best in the league at this point. Boston is putting enough runs on the board that the over looks achievable tonight.   

PICK: Over 7.5 (-109)

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