Boston has continued to be extremely inconsistent, dropping two of three games against the worst team in baseball, the Baltimore Orioles, who reside at the bottom of the AL East. They acquired Andrew Cashner from Baltimore to bolster their rotation, and he allowed a pair of home runs in a 5-0 loss against his former ballclub. That is a loss that this team may not immediately bounce back from, because it is a bit of an embarrassing defeat.
Tampa Bay, on the other hand, has had its ups and downs but comes in off a win in which Blake Snell was dominant, and Travis D’Arnaud crushed a grand slam to stay hot. They are likely going to qualify for a playoff spot this year, whether it be in the Wild Card or somehow top NYY for the division, and once they get there, no doubt looms that they will falter. They have a competitive roster who can take on any team in a series.
Lots Of Offense
They drive in plenty of runs, led by the 75 RBI of both Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts, both guys also batting over .300 with 116+ hits. Mookie Betts and JD Martinez have been solid too, though not yet reaching the potential we saw last season. It just goes to show you how deep this team is. So why do they keep losing games? Perhaps their lack of a bullpen could be costing them just a bit. They have still not found a consistent closer, and have seen various pitchers blow the game after their starter came in to get the job done.
Eduardo Rodriguez will make his 21st start of the season. He has posted an 11-4 record with a 4.34 ERA to date. He has struck out 120 batters while walking 37. This has already been a career year for the 26-year-old.
Balanced Attack
They do not score nearly as much as the Red Sox, and they do not have a single player with more than 49 RBI. It happens as a team here. Brandon Lowe is leading the way, while five other guys are all in the 40s. Catcher Travis D’Arnaud has come in at the perfect time, especially considering that his backup, Mike Zunino, is batting .155. He has been crushing the ball and looks to keep it rolling tonight. They also have very strong starting pitching that has come through for them.
Jalen Beeks will open the game for the Rays tonight, making his 21st appearance and first start of the season. We should expect two-to-three innings from the man who averaged roughly 3 1/3 innings per outing over his first 20 appearances. He has a 2.78 ERA, striking out 56 and walking 23 in 64 2/3 innings.
Rays Start With A Victory
Tampa Bay will get the job done in front of the home faithful tonight, led by the powerful bat of Austin Meadows. He will lead them to victory!
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