The Boston Red Sox (76-76) visit the Tampa Bay Rays (74-78) for Thursday’s finale of a 3-game series in St. Petersburg. The start time at Tropicana Field is 6:50 p.m. ET. Let’s check out BetMGM Sportsbook’s MLB odds around the Red Sox vs Rays Opportunities and place your best bets with our expert MLB tips and predictions.
Season series: Red Sox lead 5-4
Boston lost the opening game 8-3 and won 2-1 on Wednesday. SS Trevor Story home run and scored the deciding point that broke a 1-1 tie in center field. Jarren’s Duran’s Single in the 8th, while 6 Red Sox pitchers got 8 hits with 2 walks and held the Rays offense to 1 run.
On Thursday, the Crimson Hose will attempt to win a second game in a row for the second time since August 27-28. On Wednesday, Boston managed just the second win in its last 11 away games.
Tampa Bay’s 8 runs in Tuesday’s game are an outlier. The Rays have scored just 10 runs total in their last 4 games and are averaging just 2.85 runs per game in their last 13 games.
Expected starters for Red Sox at Rays
RHP Brayan Bello against RHP Zack Littell
Bello (14-7, 4.60 ERA) is making his 29th start. He has a WHIP of 1.38, 3.5 BB/9 and 8.4 K/9 in 152 2/3 innings.
- Last appearance: Win, 5 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K in the 7-1 win at the New York Yankees on Saturday
- Career against Rays: 2-3, 6.47 ERA (32 IP, 23 ER), 1.63 WHIP, 7.9 K/9 in 6 starts
- 2024 against Rays, 1 start, win, 6 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 6 K in 8-5 road win on May 22
- According to ESPN, the current Rays hitters have an OPS of .912.
Littell (7-9, 3.73 ERA) is scheduled to make his 28th start. He has a WHIP of 1.29, with 1.9 BB/9 and 7.9 K/9 in 144 2/3 innings.
- Last appearance: Win, 6 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 5 K in the 3-1 triumph at the Cleveland Guardians on Friday
- Career against Red Sox: 1-0, 4.26 ERA (12 2/3 IP, 6 ER), 12 H, 2 BB, 12 K in 3 games (2 starts)
- 2024 vs Red Sox: 0-0, 5.06 ERA (10 2/3 IP, 6 ER), 10 H, 2 HR, 2 BB, 10 K in 2 starts
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Odds for Red Sox vs Rays
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; visit the USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds Hub for a complete list of MLB odds. Odds last updated at 12:44 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Red Sox -105 (bet $105 to win $100) | Rays -115 (bet $115 to win $100)
- Run Line (RL)/Against the Spread (ATS): Red Sox -1.5 (+165) | Rays +1.5 (-200)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Tips and predictions for the game Red Sox vs Rays
forecast
Red Sox 4, Rays 3
Money line
Tampa Bay has a record of just 1-7 in the last 8 series finales. Boston is a solid road team (41-36) and the Red Sox have a record of 4-1 in their last 5 games at Tropicana Field.
The BoSox have scored 715 runs this season (4.7 per game) and allowed the same number of runs. But analysts think both sides of that equation are rather unfortunate. Bello has also had some fluctuations in his numbers, so Boston is on the weak side heading into Thursday’s game.
BACK RED SOX (-105).
Running Line/Against the Spread
The only enviable position here is that of hold keeper. AVOID.
Over/Under
In Boston’s last 8 games they are 6-1-1 and in Tampa’s last 7 games they are 6-1.
Neither of the two offensives is in good form, and Under 8 years (-115) is the game in this one. If the BetMGM line drops to 7.5, keep an eye on FanDuel Sportsbook, which may have better leverage at Below 7.5 (-102).
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