A pair of AL East opponents open up their final regular season series on the diamond in Beantown with different outlooks for the future. The Tampa Bay Rays are on the road as they travel to open a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox Monday night. Tampa Bay closed a three-game series on the road with the Astros with the rubber game of the set Sunday afternoon. They were edged 2-1 in the middle game of the series Saturday. Boston looked to avoid a sweep on the road at the hands of the Blue Jays Sunday afternoon. They were blanked 10-0 in the middle game of that series Saturday night. In the season series, the Rays own a commanding 12-4 advantage, including a three-game home sweep in the most recent series September 5-7.
Tampa Bay was knocked off in the middle game of their three-game set with the Astros in a low-scoring affair Saturday. The Rays entered Sunday third in the AL East, 11.5 games behind the Yankees for the top spot. They occupy the final wild card spot in the American League, 1.5 games behind the Mariners for the second wild card spot with four to play. On Saturday, Tampa Bay got two of their four hits from David Peralta while Yandy Diaz knocked in their only run with a RBI single in the ninth. The lack of offense doomed Shane McClanahan (12-8) as he took the loss after allowing two runs on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts over five innings.
Tyler Glasnow is on the hill for the Rays as he makes his second start of the season after missing most of the year following Tommy John surgery. He comes in with no record, a 3.00 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, one walk and three strikeouts on the season. Glasnow did n’t factor in the decision in his season debut, which came against the Guardians on the road Wednesday. He threw three innings, allowing one run on two hits with one walk and three strikeouts in a game the Rays dropped 2-1 in 10 innings. Glasnow makes his eighth career start against the Red Sox in this contest. He comes in 2-1 with a 4.19 ERA, a 1.138 WHIP, 12 walks and 49 strikeouts over 38.2 innings of work. Glasnow is 1-1 with a 4.63 ERA, a 1.243 WHIP, eight walks and 30 strikeouts over 23.1 innings in four career starts at Fenway Park.