TAMPA, FLORIDA – APRIL 15: Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox hits a double in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on April 15, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
The Boston Red Sox will face off with the Tampa Bay Rays for the series finale between these AL East rivals. The Red Sox recovered from their drubbing in the first game to steal away the second, allowing this game to decide the winner of the series.
Both of these teams were predicted to have above-average pitching staffs before the season started, but that certainly does not look like the case in this game. Boston will call upon the lefty Sean Newcomb in this matchup, entrusting the ball to a pitcher who is 0-2 on the season with a 4.97 ERA. Things have clearly gone poorly for Newcomb so far, but he has a realistic chance at earning his best performance of the season against a Rays lineup that has struggled against left-handed pitching.
Tampa Bay has somehow managed to one-up the Red Sox, putting an 0-3 pitcher with a 6.88 ERA on the mound in Zack Littell. Littell started off the season with a strong trip to the mound, but his last two have been nightmarish, as he got rocked for five runs over seven innings in one and seven runs over four frames in the other. Things do not get easier against a Boston lineup that ranks well in both batting average and on-base percentage.
Spread
- Red Sox +1.5 (-165)
- Rays -1.5 (+150)
Moneyline
- Red Sox +125
- Rays -133
Totals
- OVER 9 (-115)
- UNDER 9.5 (-120)
*The above data was collected on April 16, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Red Sox vs Rays Betting Trends
- The Red Sox are 9-10 ATS on the season.Â
- Seven of Boston's nine covers have come in road games.
- The OVER is 5-1-2 in games following a Red Sox victory.
- The Rays are 6-11 ATS this season.Â
- All six of Tampa Bay's covers have come on their home field.
- The OVER is 2-0 in both of Tampa Bay's games against the Red Sox.Â
Red Sox vs Rays Injury Reports
Boston Red Sox
- Connor Wong, C - Out.
- Alex Bregman, 3B - Day-to-Day.
- Masataka Yoshida, DH - Out.
- Liam Hendriks, RP - Out.
Tampa Bay Rays
- Ha-Seong Kim, SS - Out.
- Jonny DeLuca, CF - Out.
- Josh Lowe, RF - Out.
- Richie Palacios, OF - Out.
- Kevin Kelly, RP - Out.
Red Sox vs Rays Predictions and Picks
Thomas Pemberton of Picks and Parlays writes, "Both Zack Littell and Sean Newcomb are ready to get into the win column. Both Littell and Newcomb both carry ERA's over 4.00. Expect the bats to be swinging and the bullpens to be active. The value is in the total. Final Score Prediction, Tampa Bay Rays win, but the play is on the over 9-5."
It is hard to disagree that the over is the ideal play. One of these pitchers is bound to get rocked, and it will probably be Littell. The Rays, despite their poor numbers against southpaws, should still manage to knock in three or four runs against Newcomb. That combination will be more than enough for the over to cash in comfortably.
