The Tampa Bay Rays (10-0) will be going for the series win when they face the Boston Red Sox (5-5) in the third game of their four-game series on Wednesday night.
Zach Eflin, 2-0, 3.27 ERA, will get the start for the Rays. The Red Sox will counter with Chris Sale, 1-0, 11.25 ERA.
Boston and Tampa Bay split their last 10 meetings.
**This preview was written before Tuesday’s game was played**
The Red Sox played well over the past week and they’ve won three of their last five games. They will try to keep the momentum going with a win over the Rays, which will give them their fourth win in their last six games.
Boston is averaging 5.90 runs per game. Their .245 batting average is 17th in the league. Their .326 on base percentage is 16th, while their .440 slugging percentage is sixth.
Adam Duvall leads Boston with a .455 batting average, four home runs, and 14 RBI. But, he suffered a fractured wrist on Sunday and was placed on the 10-day IL on Monday.
Boston’s pitching has been good, with the team giving up 4.80 runs per game. Opponents have a .252 batting average against the Red Sox, which is 14th in the league. Their 4.55 ERA is 17th, while their 1.40 WHIP is 18th.
In his last start, Sale gave up four hits and three runs in five innings, leading to a 6-3 win over Detroit. They will need a better performance from him if they want to win this game.