The Boston Red Sox will take on the Tampa Bay Rays after the two faced off just last week at Fenway Park with the Rays winning three of the four games.
Boston Red Sox (23-24) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (25-23)
Game 1:
Date: Monday, May 20
Time: 6:50 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 2:
Date: Tuesday, May 21
Time: 6:50 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Game 3:
Date: Wednesday, May 22
Time: 6:50 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN
Probable Starting Pitchers
Game 1: Tanner Houck (3-5, 2.17 ERA) vs. Taj Bradley (1-1, 2.45 ERA)
Houck is making his tenth start of the season, he is 3-5 with a 2.17 ERA, a 2.20 FIP, a 1.01 WHIP, and 57 strikeouts in 58 innings. In his last start, he faced the Rays going 5.2 innings giving up three runs, only one earned on five hits; he walked three and struck out seven. In his career against the Rays including that start last week, he is 0-4 with a 5.91 ERA, a 1.59 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts in 21.1 innings. Bradley will oppose Houck just as he did last week, he is making his third start of the season, and he is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA, a 3.02 FIP, a 1.00 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts in 11 innings. Against the Red Sox last week he went five innings giving up two runs on four hits; he walked one and struck out six. In his career against the Red Sox, he is 3-0 with a 4.20 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts in 15 innings.
Game 2: Cooper Criswell (2-1, 2.76 ERA) vs. Zack Littell (2-2, 3.44 ERA)
Criswell is making his eighth appearance which is also his seventh start of the season, he is 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA, a 4.34 FIP, a 1.09 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 29.1 innings. In his last start against these Rays, he went 3.2 innings giving up five runs, three of which were earned on four hits; he walked two and struck out three. That start was his first career against his former team. Littell goes for the Rays opposing Criswell just as he did in the finale last Thursday, he went five innings giving up four runs on seven hits; he walked one and struck out three. This season he is 2-2 with a 3.44 ERA, a 2.83 FIP, a 1.30 WHIP, and 48 strikeouts in 49.2 innings. In his career, against the Red Sox, he is 1-0 with a 5.14 ERA, a 1,42 WHIP, and five strikeouts in seven innings.
Game 3: Brayan Bello (4-2, 3.96 ERA) vs. Tyler Alexander (2-2, 5.17 ERA)
Bello goes in the finale for the Red Sox he is making his eighth start of the season he is 4-2 with a 3.96 ERA, a 5.13 FIP, a 1.12 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. In his last start, he faced the Cardinals going 4.2 innings giving up five runs on seven hits; he didn’t issue a walk and struck out four. In his career against the Rays, he is 1-3 in five starts with a 6.92 ERA, a 1,69 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts in 26 innings. Alexander goes for the Rays and he is coming off a start against the Blue Jays in which he gave up three runs on three hits in 7.1 innings; he didn’t issue a walk and struck out four. This season he is 2-2 with a 5.17 ERA, a 5.17 FIP, a 1.21 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in 47 innings. In his career against the Red Sox does not have a decision with a 6.43 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts in 14 innings.
Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays Leaders
Red Sox:
AVG – Rafael Devers – .285
HR – Tyler O’Neill – 11
RBI – Ceddanne Rafaela – 23
IP – Tanner Houck – 58.0
ERA – Tanner Houck – 2.17
K – Tanner Houck – 57
Rays:
AVG – Isaac Paredes – .309
HR – Isaac Paredes – 9
RBI – Isaac Paredes – 26
IP – Zach Eflin – 59.0
ERA – Zack Littell – 3.44
K – Aaron Civale – 52
Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays Numbers
Red Sox
AVG: .243 (15)
OPS: .715 (9)
R: 196 (15)
HR: 47 (14)
ERA: 3.03 (2)
K: 390 (17)
WHIP: 1.15 (7)
Rays
AVG: .244 (13)
OPS: .683 (19)
R: 196 (15)
HR: 40 (23)
ERA: 4.29 (20)
K: 401 (9)
WHIP: 1.25 (13)
Wrap Up
The Red Sox will try to put that series against the Cardinals behind them and take what they did Sunday offensively and do it the Rays pitching staff. The Red Sox need to find a way to either win two of the three games or sweep this series to keep things rolling with some key series coming up for them outside of the division.
