Red Sox vs Rays Odds: Must Watch Game Series Starts This Tuesday

• The last time these two clubs played was on June 5 and the Rays won 4-1 
• The Red Sox are four games above .500 with a 70-66 record
• The Rays are 28 games over .500 with an 82-54 record

The Red Sox have been consistently around .500 throughout 2023. Their Monday opponent, the Tampa Bay Rays, are playing for a lot more currently. The Rays have owned the H2H series this year with a 7-1 lead as they play for a final time this week at Tropicana Field.

This series should be a must-watch as both teams are still playing for a lot in 2023. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET on ESPN+. 

Red Sox vs Rays Odds

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. See different MLB betting sites for more betting opportunities!

Red Sox vs Rays Picks 

The Rays are coming off a series against the Guardians, which they lost. However, they should be able to rebound against Cleveland with Aaron Civale on the mound. 

Civale has been great this year posting a 2.64 ERA. Yet, we believe the outside noise is getting to this Tampa Bay team. We like the Boston Red Sox in this game one matchup because of their pitcher.

Brayan Bello has been a key part of this Boston Red Sox pitching staff, with an ERA of 3.57. The Boston bats are contagious as the club hits righties well with a .266 batting average.

This is a Boston team playing for a slim playoff opportunity, and the Rays are dealing with outside noise. Take the more focused team and hungry team, which is the Red Sox in this spot.

We’re getting the betting action started early as well with an NRFI in this contest as well. With two quality pitchers on the mound, we’re expecting a slow offensive start to this contest. 

• OUR PICK: Boston Red Sox ML + NRFI

Red Sox vs Rays Predictions 

Bello will take the mound on Monday. Bello is pitching in a high-pressure game, as the Red Sox can’t afford to lose much in the final month of the season.

Bello holds a sub-four ERA, with a record of 10-8. Through 131 innings, he has a 1.28 WHIP with 106 strikeouts and will be a key piece of the win if Boston prevails.

Civale will try to continue being as dominant as he has been throughout the year. With an ERA of 2.64 and a 1.11 WHIP, he has been as good as advertised for the Rays. 

Civale’s record is 7-3 and the last time he faced Boston, Tampa Bay won 10-2. We see the outside distractions getting to the Rays in this spot. Civale can be locked in but the Rays haven’t been able to recover since Baltimore took over the AL East lead. 

We expect both pitchers to be locked in and ready to go early in this game. The Red Sox have been successful off of righties, and the Rays bullpen has been tremendous. Look for the Sox to hang around and watch their bats explode later in the game. 

Even though Boston has an average record, they still have impact hitters throughout the lineup. The team has blasted 161 bombs this year, but inconsistency has held them back in 2023.

We like the Red Sox to hang around in a low-scoring game and win. Look for Boston to have an explosive inning in which runs will be scored which will lead to the win.

Boston Red Sox Preview

The Red Sox are four games back from the Blue Jays for third place in the AL East and 14 games back of the Orioles, who lead the division. Bello has been great in his past three starts, look for him to continue to stay hot.

Look for the Boston bats to do their thing as they have all season. The Red Sox pitchers have been inconsistent, but the offense has shown up night after night. It hasn’t been enough, but it’s allowed the Red Sox to have a slim chance at the playoffs with a month remaining, 

Tampa Bay Rays Preview

The Tampa Bay Rays have faced a lot of adversity as of late. Wander Franco, has brought the spotlight to this organization, but the Rays have done a nice job since he left.
The Rays are coasting at this point, sitting comfortably in the playoffs as a Wild Card team. Yet, they’re just a couple of games back from the AL East lead, even though they haven’t closed this gap for months.

The deficit is manageable, as they have the pitching staff to overtake Baltimore. They also have a quality offense, blasting 194 homers this year, but their bats have to wake up to beat Bello on Monday.

How to Watch Red Sox vs Rays 

• What: Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays
• Where: Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay, Florida
• When: September 4th @ 4:10 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: MLB.TV and ESPN+