Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays Picks and Predictions September 27th 2024

From Fenway Park in Boston, we have the Rays and Red Sox facing off in an AL East matchup. The Red Sox are 80-79 and they are favored on the money line today, with the odds sitting at -133. The money line odds for the Rays are at +114, and the over/under line is at 8 runs.

First pitch for this one is set for 7:10 PM ET, and the forecast calls for cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. Nick Pivetta is starting for the Red Sox, and the Rays are starting Taj Bradley. Bradley is looking to help the Rays snap a three-game losing streak, as they are 78-81. Boston is 3rd in the AL East.

Tampa Bay vs. Boston Key Information

Taj Bradley gets the start for the Rays today as he faces the Red Sox on the road. He has made 24 starts this season and has a record of 7-11 with an ERA of 4.29. Bradley’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.25. In his 24 starts, he has turned in nine quality starts and is averaging 10.02 strikeouts per nine innings. Bradley’s most recent outing came on September 21st, where he picked up the win, going five innings and giving up just one earned run. Before that, he had given up at least two earned runs in three straight outings.

So far this season, the Rays’ offense is averaging just 3.7 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the majors. They are also near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, including home runs, batting average, and on-base percentage. As a team, they are batting just .230 and have an on-base percentage of only .302.

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Yandy Diaz has been the Rays’ most consistent hitter this season, batting .282 with 14 home runs. Brandon Lowe also has 21 homers but is batting just .242. Lowe has gone 10/40 in his last 10 games with three homers. Jonathan Aranda and Brandon Lowe are also on three-game hitting streaks.

Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta will be looking to build off his last outing, where he gave up just one earned run in five innings of work. In that outing vs. the Twins, he only gave up four hits and issued three walks. Pivetta finished with the no-decision in that outing. Looking back at his last three outings, he has finished with a no-decision in all three. Pivetta has made 25 starts this season and has a record of 6-11 with a 4.21 ERA. Opposing batters are hitting .228 off the right-hander this season. Per nine innings, Pivetta is averaging 10.75 strikeouts compared to 2.27 walks.

Heading into today’s game, the Red Sox offense is 9th in the league in scoring, averaging 4.7 runs per game. They have been even better on the road, averaging 4.8 runs per contest. Overall, they are 8th in home runs and have the league’s best team BABIP at .32. As a team, the Red Sox are batting .253, which is the 6th best mark in the MLB.

Over the team’s last eight games, Jarren Duran has gone 10/33, and he is currently on a six-game hitting streak. For the season, he is batting .286 and is 3rd on the team with 21 homers. Rafael Devers leads the team with 83 RBIs and is 2nd on the club with 28 homers. Tyler O’Neill has a team-high 31 homers but is batting just .240 this season.

Our lean for this Rays vs. Red Sox matchup is to take the Red Sox to win straight-up. And despite our projections pointing to this being the 2nd lowest-scoring game of the day, we are leaning towards taking the over. Boston starter Nick Pivetta has the 5th best strikeout projection among today’s starters, and he also has the 3rd best chance to pick up a win.

Red Sox, Rays Search for Positives with Playoffs Off the Table

With postseason berths officially out of reach, the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays will open a season-ending, three-game series at Fenway Park on Friday.

For the Red Sox (80-79), their playoff hopes were dashed after a 6-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, combined with wins by the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals. Despite the recent four-game win streak that kept their slim chances alive, Boston’s overall 27-36 record since the All-Star break proved too difficult to overcome.

“Nobody expected us to play meaningful games this far into the season,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora reflected. “It didn’t happen, but it’s a good learning experience for the younger guys. At one point, it felt like we were a playoff-caliber team, but we missed the opportunity.”

Red Sox Focus on Future Building Blocks

Boston’s youthful roster, including players like Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu, has given fans reason for optimism moving forward. Center fielder Jarren Duran echoed this sentiment, saying, “It’s a good building block for next year. I’m always hungry for the next step, and I think what we have in this clubhouse is special.”

On Wednesday, Richard Fitts made his mark by setting a Red Sox record, extending his major league career start to 18 2/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run before Toronto broke through in the fourth inning.

Nick Pivetta Looks to End Season Strong in Potential Final Boston Start

Friday’s game may represent the final start in a Red Sox uniform for Nick Pivetta (6-11, 4.21 ERA), a soon-to-be free agent. Pivetta earned his first victory since July 29 when he allowed just one unearned run over five innings against the Minnesota Twins last Sunday.

Pivetta, who has enjoyed calling Fenway Park home, shared his feelings with the Boston Globe, saying, “It’s very surreal, and I’ve enjoyed every single moment.”

Pivetta has struggled historically against the Rays, holding a 1-7 record with a 4.67 ERA in 13 career appearances (12 starts), including a 0-1 mark and a 5.23 ERA in two starts against them this year.

Rays Aim to Avoid First Losing Season Since 2017

The Tampa Bay Rays (78-81), fresh off a sweep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers, are looking to avoid their first sub-.500 season in seven years. The Rays dropped Thursday’s game 4-3 after leading 3-0, and the loss marked their fifth straight defeat.

“That’s the last team in baseball you want to give momentum to,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash in reference to the surging Tigers, who have climbed back into playoff contention with a 30-11 run.

The Rays must sweep the Red Sox to finish at .500 and avoid their first losing season since 2017. Cash expressed frustration with the team’s struggles, saying, “It’s frustrating, but you have to accept it. We need to make decisions (this offseason) to improve, because this is not where we want to be.”

Taj Bradley Looks to Cap Rookie Season with a Strong Finish

Rays starter Taj Bradley (7-11, 4.30 ERA) will take the mound Friday in hopes of closing out his rookie campaign on a high note. The 23-year-old right-hander recently snapped a nine-game winless streak by pitching five innings of one-run ball in a victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Bradley has shown promise in his last two starts, posting a 2.89 ERA after struggling with an 8.27 ERA in the previous eight outings. Bradley sees potential in the team’s pitching rotation for next year, saying, “I think we’re going to have the best rotation in the league, honestly.”

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Bradley is 3-1 with a 4.91 ERA lifetime against Boston. Earlier this season, he made back-to-back starts against the Red Sox, going 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA.

Looking Ahead

Despite the playoff race being over for both teams, there’s still pride on the line as the Red Sox look to finish above .500 and the Rays aim to avoid a losing season. Both teams will use this final series to evaluate their young talent and prepare for the offseason.

Brandon Lowe, Rays second baseman, has been one of Tampa Bay’s bright spots, collecting hits in eight of his past 10 games, including a 2-for-4 effort with two RBIs on Thursday.