Seems like we’re set for another round of the classic Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays showdown, happening once again at the Tropicana Field. It's worth noting that this place isn't the best spot for batters, it sort of leans towards aiding the guys with gloves and a keen eye for a fast ball.
In the blue corner, the Red Sox have got Nick Pivetta warming up, who’s been throwing up a storm with 10.9 K/9 in his 23 appearances this season. Things get interesting with Shane Baz taking the mound for the Rays. He boasts decent stats with a 3.37 ERA but his K/9 lags at 7.7 over 11 games.
Now, let's not forget about the top talent on the field. For Boston, Masataka Yoshida and Jarren Duran have been holding their own, but Tyler O'Neill, well, let's say he's been a bit on the quiet front. On the Tampa Bay side, Yandy Diaz has been hitting it off majorly with an impressive average while Deluca has been sneaky with those stolen bases.
Looking at the past face-offs, these teams are almost neck-and-neck. Boston did take home the win in the last three games they played in the Rays’ aquarium. And to spice it up a notch, their regular season records are almost at equilibrium with Boston at 75-75 and Tampa Bay slightly lagging at 73-77.
Recent games though, tell a slightly different story - while they've been trading punches, Boston might be running on a slightly rougher patch with a handful of close losses against New york.
So, what's the call for tonight? Well, considering everything into account, here goes…
Albert’s Prediction: Boston Red Sox by 2