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How to Bet Rays vs Red Sox MLB Odds for Friday Night

Written by on August 17, 2018

MLB Betting News
Until that little asterisk, the one that signifies that you have made the playoffs appears beside your name in the standings, you never want to relax. Past history in the MLB is riddled with late-season collapse by teams that looked great all the way up until the final few weeks of the season. If you look at the AL East right now, you see a division that looks to be all but done, with the Boston Red Sox opening up a huge lead on the Yankees. This was a race that was close for a while, but Boston has quickly become the team to beat in the quest for the World Series. They have had the pedal to the metal for a while now and are showing no signs of letting up until they have crossed the finish line, which for them may be when they win the World Series. There is still work to be done before the division is clinched, though, and it continues this Friday night when they welcome the Tampa Bay Rays into Fenway Park for a weekend series.

How to Bet Rays vs Red Sox MLB Odds for Friday Night

  • When: Friday, August 17 at 7 PM EST
  • Where: Fenway Park, Boston
  • Starting Pitchers: Ryne Stanek Vs Brian Johnson
  • TV: ESPN
  • Radio: TuneIn
  • Live Stream: ESPN+
  • MLB Odds: Tampa Bay Rays +170 / Boston Red Sox -205 (Total 9.5)

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Why bet on the Tampa Bay Rays?

The Rays are well out of the playoff picture right now, but they are also not content with just playing out the rest of the season. Their last 3 series have come against division rivals, and they have won all 3, going 6-3 during that run. Their latest series win came by taking 2 of 3 from the Yankees on the road, a result that edges the Red Sox ever closer to the clinching of the division crown. The pitching for the Rays seems to be coming to life as the season winds down, as they have held the opposition to 2 or fewer runs in 5 of their last 6 games. They are going to need more of the same against the Red Sox, as the Rays are just 4-9 against them this season, giving up an average of 4.2 RPG. They have been particularly leaky defensively in Boston, going 2-4 this season and giving up 5.7 RPG. It will be Ryne Stanek (1-3, 2.42 ERA) who comes out of the bullpen to start this one.

Why bet on the Boston Red Sox?

We got to see something that we don’t get to see very often on Thursday night, which was the Red Sox losing a baseball game. They went down to the Phillies, who earned a split with the win, which was just the second time that they have lost in their last 13 games. Given that record, it’s no real surprise that their lead atop the AL East is now up to 10 ½ games. It is also no surprise that they are also in possession of the best record in baseball. Rays vs Red Sox is going to be intense. This is a team that appears to have no weaknesses, as they are 1st or 2nd in all the major offensive stats, as well as being top 5 in all the pitching stats. This is a great team who have been close to invincible at home, where they are an impressive 42-15. Brian Johnson (3-3, 3.95 ERA) will be the man on the mound for the Boston Red Sox.

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Latest MLB Betting Trends

  • Tampa Bay is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
  • Tampa Bay is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay’s last 5 games
  • Boston is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games
  • Boston is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games
  • The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Boston’s last 12 games at home

Expert Pick and Score Prediction

The Boston Red Sox are not a team that is in the habit of losing back to back games this season, which is why you need to like them to get the win in this one. Score: Tampa Bay Rays 4 – Boston Red Sox 6
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