MLB betting players watched Boston and Tampa Bay kick off their three-game set on Monday, and in this matchup of squads off to a terrible start, the Rays let go of some frustration in a 16-5 thumping of the Red Sox at Fenway Park. The two will also do battle on Tuesday and on Wednesday, they’ll wrap up the set.
Rays Red Sox Betting – Wednesday, 7:10 PM ET
The Rays will go with James Shields (0-1, 4.73), who was knocked around in a 9-7 loss in Chicago in his second start of the season as the White Sox took him deep three times. Shields gave up five runs in total on eight hits over six innings, and he didn’t strike out a single batter while walking one. The thing is, he earned a no-decision in this game while taking the loss in his 2011 debut when he pitched a solid game against Baltimore at home, so you don’t quite know what to make of Shields. However, you may receive a sports betting bonus for taking Shields at Fenway Park, where he is 1-7 in eight starts with a 7.71 ERA, and the 29-year-old righthander is 5-9 in 16 career starts against the Red Sox, posting an ERA of 5.17.
The Red Sox will counter with John Lackey (1-1, 15.58) who was bailed out by his offense to get the win in a 9-7 victory against the Yankees at home. Lackey was tagged for six runs on seven hits over five innings, and he gave up his third homer of the season with the same number of walks as strikeouts (two), but the bats came through to give him his first win of the season, and at least he showed progress after getting lit up in Texas in his opener. The 32-year-old righthander has been great against the Rays, posting a record of 11-4 in 16 starts with a 3.75 ERA.
MLB odds should favor the Red Sox in the finale regardless of the Monday night debacle and whatever happens on Tuesday, as Shields has been awful in Boston over his career. These two squared off last June in Boston, and Lackey got the better of Shields in an 8-5 victory as he scattered a run on eight hits over seven innings, while Shields allowed five runs on seven hits over five innings of work. Shields may break his Fenway hex at some point in his career, but some pitchers just get nervous playing in a certain stadium, and the venerable park seems to be in Shields head. He hasn’t done that well against the Red Sox in general, and we don’t expect it to end on Wednesday, so bet on Tampa Bay in your online sportsbook.
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