Boston at Tampa Bay

Boston opens the season with its ace and the highest payroll in the game against a small market team. The Red Sox were strong offensively last season in winning the AL East and upgraded significantly by adding the powerful bat of J.D. Martinez (45 homers last season). Boston has one of the best pitchers in the game going in Chris Sale. Last year he went 17-8, with a 2.90 ERA and struck out 308 in 214 innings. He was 4-1 against Tampa Bay, holding the Rays to a .178 batting average in 40+ innings with an incredible 66-10 strikeout to walk ratio. The Red Sox have outstanding defense in the field and are 20-8 on astroturf. They face a rebuilding Tampa Bay squad that traded away franchise icon Evan Longoria and let go of their top three home-run producers in Logan Morrison (38 homers in 2017), Steven Souza Jr. (30) and Corey Dickerson (27). The Rays also lost two of their top three starting pitchers in Alex Cobb and Jake Odorizzi. Starter Chris Archer is off a losing campaign with a 4.07 ERA and the team is 7-19 when he faces the AL East. Tampa Bay is also 3-8 against lefty starters and 3-11 when Archer faces the rival Red Sox. Play Boston.