Wednesday’s MLB schedule includes a rubber match between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox. Both teams have scored eight runs over the first two games of the series, although the Red Sox are -135 home favorites while Tampa’s moneyline is set at +115. The game also has an over/under of nine runs.
Despite losing on Tuesday, the Red Sox remain one game over the Rays for second place in the AL East. However, Boston has started to cool down over the last week after an outstanding run in June. The Red Sox have lost five of their last eight games but can get back to 10 games over .500 with a win on Wednesday.
The Rays, on the other hand, are starting to recover from a rough patch. After losing four straight games recently, Tampa has won four of its last five games. That has the Rays seven games over .500 and holding one of the Wild Card spots in the American League.
The Klube Tube
Veteran Corey Kluber will get the start for the Rays in Wednesday’s series finale. The 35-year-old is 3-5 with a 3.91 ERA over his first 15 starts, helping provide solid depth to Tampa’s rotation. However, Kluber is coming off a rough start in which he lasted just three innings, while the Rays have lost three of his last four starts.
On the bright side, Tampa’s lineup has started to come alive, averaging 6.4 runs per game over their last five games despite being shut out on Monday. Yandy Diaz has been red-hot lately, batting .467 with a 1.156 OPS over his last eight games, while Isaac Paredes has hit three homers during that span. Of course, Wander Franco and Randy Arozarena remain threats despite their struggles this season.
Ring the Bello
With five starting pitchers currently on the IL, the Red Sox are bringing up Brayan to make his big-league debut on Wednesday. The 23-year-old has had an amazing season in the minors, already winning ten games in 15 appearances. Bello has made nine appearances since being promoted to triple-A, going 6-2 with a 2.81 ERA, so he appears to be more than ready to pitch in the majors.
Bello should also have a strong lineup backing him up despite the Red Sox averaging just 3.6 runs per game over their last five games. The trio of J.D. Martinez, Rafael Devers, and Xander Bogaerts are all batting over .300 and are leading the Red Sox offensively this year. Plus, Franchy Cordero and Jarren Duran have made a positive impact over the past week, giving the Red Sox additional depth.
Catching Some Rays
While Bello gives the Red Sox an intriguing option on the mound, the Rays clearly have more momentum heading into this game, making them a good candidate to jump all over a young pitcher. Boston is also just 9-17 against AL East opponents this season. With the Rays being underdogs, all of the value for this matchup is with the Rays.
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