The Tampa Bay Rays are set to face off against the Boston Red Sox in a three-game series starting Monday evening in St. Petersburg, Florida. This marks the Rays’ 11th consecutive game against an American League East rival. So far, the Rays have managed a 6-4 record against the New York Yankees, Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays in their last 10 games. Notably, they recently secured three out of four victories against Boston, continuing their strong performance against the Red Sox over the past few years. Since 2019, the Rays have achieved a 57-31 record against Boston, despite the Red Sox winning three of four in the 2021 AL Division Series.
In their latest encounter, the Rays overcame a critical mistake to secure a series win. With two outs and closer Jason Adam on the mound, Adam allowed a walk and a single, prompting a visit from pitching coach Kyle Snyder. However, the Rays had exhausted their mound visits, leading to Adam’s replacement by Erasmo Ramirez, who closed the game successfully. Manager Kevin Cash admitted to the error but was relieved it didn’t cost them the game.
To bolster their bullpen, especially with left-handed reliever Colin Poche on the injured list, the Rays recently traded for southpaw Richard Lovelady. Known for his effectiveness against left-handed hitters, Lovelady joins Garrett Cleavinger as a key bullpen option from the left side. However, the Rays ended their seven-game road trip on a low note, losing 5-2 to the Blue Jays. Despite this, catcher Ben Rortvedt expressed confidence, citing their overall strong performance on the road trip.
On the other side, the Boston Red Sox broke a four-game losing streak with a commanding 11-3 win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Starter Nick Pivetta delivered six strong innings, while Tyler O’Neill and Rafael Devers each hit home runs. O’Neill, a former Cardinal, hit a 439-foot homer in the first inning, and Devers tied a franchise record with a home run in his fifth consecutive game.
Monday’s game will see a rematch between pitchers Tanner Houck and Taj Bradley. In their previous meeting, Bradley led the Rays to a 4-3 victory with five solid innings. Houck, despite a respectable ERA and WHIP, has struggled against the Rays historically, with a 0-4 record and a 5.91 ERA in six appearances. Bradley, on the other hand, has shown promise with a 3-0 record and a 4.20 ERA in his career starts against Boston.
As the Rays look to extend their upper hand against the Red Sox, the series promises to be a thrilling matchup between two competitive teams in the American League East.
