Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox - 4/5/21 MLB Picks and Prediction

Boston Red Sox (0-3) vs Tampa Bay Rays (2-1)

Game Info: Monday, April 5, 2021 at 7:10 pm (Fenway Park)

Nick Pivetta (0-0) (0.00) vs Michael Wacha (0-0) (0.00)

Betting Odds: Boston Red Sox -110 / Tampa Bay Rays -110 --- Over/Under: 9.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds

The Boston Red Sox will host the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. The Rays won the season series last season 7-3.

Boston will look to bounce back after getting swept in their previous series by the Baltimore Orioles. Last time out the Red Sox fell 11-3. Starter Garret Richards only went 2 innings, allowing 6 runs on 7 hits. From the plate they were 1-5 with runners in scoring position. J.D. Martinez was 2-4 with a HR and 2 RBI, while Christian Vazquez was 3-4 with a run scored. The two combined for 5 of Boston's 6 hits. Martinez has been one of the few bright spots from the dish. He leads the team with a .500 batting average while the team has a collective .160 batting average.

The Red Sox will start righty Nick Pivetta against the Rays. In 2020 he pitched 15.2 innings, allowing 12 runs on 18 hits with 17 strikeouts. During spring training he was 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 11 strikeouts.

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The Tampa Bay Rays were beaten by Miami 12-7 last time out for their first loss of the year. The pitching staff gave up 14 hits in what was a breakout game for the Marlins offense. From the dish the Rays produced 9 hits and were a combined 4-11 with runners in scoring position. Mike Zunino homered for the first time this season. To start the year the Rays are batting a collective .222 with 5 home runs. Manuel Margot leads the team with a .400 batting average and 1.300 OPS.

Tampa Bay will send out right-hander Michael Wacha to start against the Sox. He finished 2020 with a 1-4 record, 6.62 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 37 strikeouts. During spring training he was 1-0 with a 0.60 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and 12 strikeouts.

Boston has been struggling from the plate to start the year, and will have a touch matchup in Michael Wacha and the Rays on Monday. In his career he has allowed a paltry .133 batting average to the current Red Sox lineup. Boston will be starting converted reliever Nick Pivetta, who had a shaky spring after giving up over a hit an inning in 2020. I expect the Red Sox struggles to continue in this one. Give me the Rays scratch out a win on the road.

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