The Red Sox and the Rays Take the Field for Game 1 of the ALDS
The Boston Red Sox had to fight their way to the ALDS, winning the one-game playoff against the New York Yankees Tuesday night. A 6-2 victory this week puts the Red Sox into the round of eight and gives them a chance to make a postseason run.
The Rays had the easier route after winning the AL East by an eight-game margin over the Red Sox and the Yankees. The small market Tampa Bay organization looks to make another run to the World Series, hoping to come out victorious after losing to the Dodgers just last season.
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Betting Odds & Betting Lines
BetUs currently has the Rays as a heavy moneyline favorite at -147. They have the Red Sox at +1323 to win tonight’s game.
Over at BetOnline, they have the Rays right around the same odds at -146 to win this evening’s game. Both sportsbooks have the run total of eight.
Can the Red Sox get Past the Rays?
This Red Sox offense has been really good as of late. Putting it on display Tuesday night, the Red Sox were able to send Gerritt Cole, one of the league’s best starting pitchers, back to the bench in just two innings. The front five of this lineup were great Tuesday, and look to continue that into tonight’s game.
The first five batters of the Red Sox lineup combined to score all six of their runs and record six walks. Kyle Schwarber and Xander Bogaerts each tallied their first home runs of this postseason. If the Red Sox can get this kind of production tonight, as well as for the rest of this series, they have a good shot at winning a few games in this series.
Consistent Baseball will Win the Rays this Series
When you look at this roster, there are not many names that jump off the paper as being highly touted. What this Rays team has is special. They are a group of players who have put their egos aside and want to win. Each guy seems to know their role and is willing to sacrifice for the overall team, which is something that is not seen in the professional sports world too often.
The Ray’s offense is led by their young star Wander Franco. While he has only played half the season with the club, in his 70 games, Franco is hitting .288 with seven home runs and 39 RBI’s. Franco was able to tie the record for getting on base at least once by a player under 20. The Rays currently have seven other players who are hitting over .250.
Pitchers Dual!
Taking the mound for the Red Sox will be the left-handed throwing Eduardo Rodriguez. In his sixth MLB season with Boston, Rodriguez compiled a 13-8 record with a 4.74 ERA. While Rodriguez has been on the team for six seasons, he has only recorded a single postseason start back in 2018.
The Rays will send their rookie left-handed starting pitcher to the mound, Shane McClanahan. In 25 starts this season, McClanahan has a 10-6 record with a 3.43 ERA. Of his ten wins, seven of them were on his home field in Tampa Bay, where tonight’s game is being played.
Rays Win Game 1
The pitching matchup favors the Rays. Sending a lefty to the mound against this Red Sox team, which features three left-handed hitters in their first five, may be the best option in this series. While these professional hitters are great, they are much better against right-handed pitchers.
When making your MLB picks, take the Boston Red Sox moneyline at -147.
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