Rays vs Red Sox Series Odds: Wacha Has the Struggling Red Sox Favored in Opener

Tampa Bay Rays Look to Continue Playoff Push Against Scuffling Red Sox

Wacha to Get the Call in Opener for Sox

The Tampa Bay Rays keep finding a way to remain competitive even as top players head elsewhere.

Young pitchers Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen are major reasons why the Rays currently hold down the top wild card position in the American League despite a losing record on the road. The good news for Boston is neither McClanahan nor Rasmussen are slated to pitch for Tampa Bay in this series. The even better news is that Michael Wacha is the probable starter for Boston in the series opener.

As for the Boston Red Sox, they have lost records both on the road and at home as they have tumbled to last place in the American League East Division.

Tampa Bay (+2000) is currently fifth in the odds to win the American League pennant. When looking at the Red Sox betting odds, Boston comes in 10th at +10000.

Rays vs Red Sox Game Information

  • Matchup: Rays 69-55 (second in the AL East) Red Sox 60-65 (fifth in the AL East)
  • Location: Fenway Park, Boston
  • Date/Time: ET. The teams also play on
  • Television: Friday’s game is on Apple TV+, NESN and Bally Sports Sun will televise the games on Saturday and Sunday with the MLB Network also slated to air Saturday’s contest.

Move to Start Rotation Agrees with Tampa Bay’s Springs

Considering the pitching struggles of the Red Sox, perhaps they might want to rethink the decision not to keep Jeffrey Springs. Springs was 0-2 with a 7.08 ERA in 16 games out of the bullpen for Boston during the 2020 season. He has since moved onto Tampa Bay, where he is 11-4 with a 2.77 ERA in two seasons with the Rays.

Springs started just two out of the 102 games he pitched in during his first four MLB seasons. This year, 17 of his 25 appearances have come as a starter. In four games in August, Springs is 3-0 with a 1.68 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 21.2 innings.

Springs is slated to start on Saturday against his former team. One has to wonder if he was still with Boston, how that might impact the Rays vs Red Sox series odds.

Wacha is Lone Bright Spot in Dreadful 2022 Season for Red Sox

The list of players consistently performing well for the Red Sox this season is a rather short one.

Among those players delivering more times than not is veteran pitcher Michael Wacha.

Wacha was 10-16 while pitching for three different franchises over the previous three seasons. Wacha is closing in on the 10-win mark this season. He probably would already be there had he not missed six weeks of action.

The Red Sox are 11-4 when Wacha starts this season. Since returning from the injured list, he is 2-0 and has not allowed an earned run in 12.2 innings.

He will look to keep that streak going in Friday’s opener. His schedule start is certainly impacting the Rays vs Red Sox series odds.

Rays vs Red Sox Probable Pitching Matchups

  • Friday: JT Chargois (Rays) Michael Wacha (Red Sox)
  • Saturday: Jeffrey Springs (Rays) Rich Hill (Red Sox)
  • Sunday: Corey Kluber (Rays) Nick Pivetta (Red Sox)

Who’s Hot

  • Randy Arozarena, Rays OF: Arozarena is 7 for 17 with three walks over his last five games.
  • Christian Arroyo, Red Sox OF: Arroyo is batting .409 with two doubles over his last five games.
  • Pete Fairbanks, Rays P: Fairbanks hasn’t allowed a run in nine games he pitched in the month of August. He has allowed three hits and struck out 13 in 8.2 innings over that stretch.
  • Jeurys Familia, Red Sox P: Since being acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies, Familia has allowed three hits and one run with seven strikeouts in five innings of work.

Who’s Not

  • Ryan Brasier, Red Sox P: Brasier has allowed seven hits and five runs in 2.2 innings during his last three outings.
  • Yu Chang, Rays IF: Chang is 2 for 14 over his last five games. He doesn’t have an extra-base hit in his last 11 contests.
  • Bobby Dalbec, Red Sox 1B: Dalbec has one hit in his last 12 at-bats and doesn’t have an extra-base hit over his last eight contests.
  • Ryan Thompson, Rays P: Thompson has allowed nine hits and four runs in seven innings in his last seven appearances.

Rays vs Red Sox Injury Update

Tampa Bay continues to play without shortstop Wander Franco, who is out indefinitely with a wrist injury. Pitchers Shane Baz (elbow), Yonny Chirinos (elbow), J.P. Feyereisen (shoulder), Josh Fleming (oblique), and Tyler Glasnow (elbow) are not expected back until next month.

For Boston, pitchers Tyler Danish (elbow), Tanner Houck (back), and Nathan Eovaldi (shoulder) are out indefinitely. First baseman Eric Hosmer (back) and infielder Trevor Story (wrist) are expected back in early September.

Rays vs Red Sox Betting Preview

The Rays have the second-best team ERA in the majors since the MLB All-Star Break. During that time, only the Colorado Rockies have an ERA worse than Boston’s mark of 5.68.

The Rays have won the last six games against the Red Sox and eight of the last nine. Tampa Bay took two of three games the last time the teams met in Boston. The Tampa Bay Rays betting odds have the Rays at -130 to win this series.

Six of the last 12 games between the teams have been decided by two runs or less.

Xander Bogaerts leads the Red Sox with a .333 average in the 10 games against the Rays this season. Yandy Diaz is batting .452 with eight RBIs against the Red Sox.

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