Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays

The Red Sox have two of the most promising lefty rookie pitchers in baseball. The Rays saw one of them, Connelly Early, two days ago and lost, 2-0. Now Tampa Bay gets the other one, Payton Tolle. He has a 2.04 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and a 11.7 strikeout rate for nine Innings. The Rays are 25th in slugging percentage and 24th in OPS vs. lefties. They also have the fourth-fewest home runs. Tampa Bay hitters are unfamiliar with Tolle. The Red Sox are 8-2 in their last 10 meetings against the Rays and 6-1 in their last seven games against them in Boston. Rays starter Nick Martinez is having his finest years so far with a 3-1 record, 1.71 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. Martinez, though, is 35 and has career numbers of 51-60, 4.05 ERA and a 1.29 ratio. Willson Contreras has hit a home run in three of the Red Sox’s last five day games and has a strong history against Martinez. Take the Red Sox.

Tampa Bay got shut out in Fenway Park yesterday, 2-0, to drop to 17th in runs scored and 24th in slugging. Nick Martinez struggled against the Red Sox last season, posting a 5.40 ERA and a .346 batting average against Boston batters. The bullpen ranks 14th with a 4.02 ERA. Boston plays its third straight at home, with a relief staff that is eighth (3.42 ERA). Payton Tolle (2.04 ERA) has been a terrific addition to the rotation, holding batters to a .117 average in 17+ innings, with only six walks and 23 strikeouts. Play Boston.