Did you think we’d be here on Opening Day? I thought the Red Sox would “sniff a Wild Card” (my exact words), but playing in the ALDS one year after finishing in the bottom of the AL East barrel felt like a pipe dream.
Then again, going worst-to-first has been the Red Sox’ thing quite a few times over the last decade. We saw it in 2012 and 2013, 2015 and 2016, and now this year.
But after dispatching the Yankees somewhat effortlessly in their first-ever Wild Card game on Tuesday night, the Red Sox have much stiffer competition in the division champion and rival Rays, who won 100 regular-season games for the first time in franchise history.
What Time is the Red Sox Game Today?
First pitch today is scheduled for 8:07 PM ET.
What Channel is the Red Sox Game on Today?
Today’s Red Sox game is available on Fox Sports 1, and MLB.TV (blackout restrictions may apply).
Red Sox vs Rays Odds Today
Unsurprisingly, the Red Sox are the underdogs in the opening game of their first ALDS since 2018. They’re +148 (bet $100 to win $148) on the moneyline to the Rays -158 (bet $158 to win $100).
The spread has Boston +1.5 at -155 (bet $155 to win $100) and Tampa Bay -1.5 at +135 (bet $100 to win $135).
If you’re into betting on runs, the over/under is 3.5 for the Sox and 4.5 for the Rays, with the over an even +100 (bet $100 to keep it) and the under -130 (bet $130 to win $100).
Red Sox Pitcher Today: Eduardo Rodriguez
Eduardo Rodriguez will have the honor of starting Game 1 of the ALDS for Boston. From a personal standpoint, it’s a huge accomplishment for the young pitcher who missed the entire 2020 season with a severe case of COVID and ensuing viral myocarditis. Around this time last year, it was reported that he could begin working out, with slow walks on a treadmill. He may have struggled on the mound this year, but there’s no denying how hard he worked to get here.
ERod has a 4.74 ERA over 32 games this season, all but one of them starts (he pitched in relief in the final game of the season.) He made four starts against the Rays in the regular-season, and their lineups hit .277/.310/.506 with a .816 OPS against him. His ERA against them is almost identical to the overall, a 4.71 over 21 innings.
In terms of runs allowed, Rodriguez’s four games against the Rays were kind of all over the place: three runs, two runs, shutout, six runs.
Rodriguez has eight career postseason pitching appearances under his belt between the 2017 ALDS and entire 2018 championship run. However, only one of those eight games was a start, and it was Game 4 of the 2018 World Series, in which he allowed four earned runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Over a total of 10 postseason innings, he has 11 strikeouts, but walked five batters and gave up nine earned runs.
Concerning, to say the least.
Going up against Rodriguez is Shane McClanahan, one of Tampa Bay’s seemingly endless supply of pitching prospects. The 24-year-old made his debut last October, and had a 3.43 ERA over 25 starts in his first regular season this year.
McClanahan is the rare MLB player to see postseason play before making their regular-season debut; he pitched in four total games for the Rays between the 2020 ALDS, ALCS, and World Series. None of those appearances were longer than two innings, and only two of them were scoreless.
In the regular season, McClanahan started three games against the Sox, and came away with a 2.81 ERA over 16 total innings. Boston bats only managed .246/.303/.295 and a .598 OPS against him with 18 strikeouts and only five runs.
Red Sox Starting Lineup
Check back later for today’s lineup!
Red Sox vs Rays Prediction Today
ERod will either pitch an absolute gem or give up eight runs. The Sox bats need to score off McClanahan early, or they’ll have no chance against Tampa’s absurd pitching arsenal.
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Red Sox vs Rays Live Stream
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