In our MLB predictions for Sunday, we are breaking down the American League East showdown from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, to find out the best Red Sox vs. Rays betting pick and odds. Boston and Tampa Bay wrap up a three-game series at The Trop. The Red Sox will start Rich Hill, while the Rays will counter with Shane McClanahan, so the hosts are considered favorites for Sunday’s clash.
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Red Sox vs Rays Betting Pick
This game will be played at Tropicana Field at 1:10 PM ET on Sunday, April 24, 2022.
Why Bet The Rays:
✅ Rich Hill has struggled through his first two starts in 2022. The 42-year-old left-hander yielded three earned runs on five hits and a walk across 4.1 frames of work in his season debut. Last Monday, the veteran lefty surrendered four earned runs on six hits and a couple of walks in 4.2 innings and was charged for a loss in an 8-3 defeat to the Minnesota Twins.
✅ The Rays are way more dangerous when hitting the left-handed pitchers. In 133 at-bats against the southpaws in 2022, Tampa Bay has recorded a .278/.340/.421 slash line to go with 22 RBIs. Wander Franco, who owns a 1.111 OPS (238 OPS+), is slashing .467/.500/.933 against the lefties, and the Rays will look to grab an early lead in this matchup.
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✅ Shane McClanahan is 0-1 with a 2.40 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in three starts in 2022. The 24-year-old left-hander was terrific last time out, striking out nine through six innings of a one-run ball against the Cubs this past Monday. The current Red Sox are hitting only .249/.356/.249 in 39 at-bats against McClanahan, who’ll be fired up to get his first win of the season.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox outlasted the Rays 4-3 in the opener last Friday to snap their two-game skid. Boston improved to 7-7 on the season thanks to its offense that recorded 11 hits and scored all four runs through the first three innings. Michael Wacha worked five frames, yielding a couple of earned runs on three hits and two walks, while the Red Sox used five guys from their bullpen.
Boston has scored 54 runs in its first 14 games of the 2022 season. Against the lefties, the Red Sox have a .240 batting average and a .667 OPS. Rafael Devers and Alex Verdugo have smacked three home runs each, while Xander Bogaerts has 20 hits in 52 at-bats and a .965 OPS.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays lost the opener against the Sawx and failed to extend their winning streak to three games. Corey Kluber surrendered four earned runs on 11 hits across five frames of work, while three relievers kept the Red Sox off the scoreboard.
On the other side of the ball, Wander Franco went 2-for-5 with a couple of solo home runs. The 21-year-old shortstop has been ridiculous so far this season, tallying 22 hits in 56 at-bats to go with ten RBIs. Franco and Brandon Lowe have slugged three homers apiece, while Ji-Man Choi has a couple of dingers and eight RBIs in 31 at-bats.
