Rays And Red Sox Should Keep Scoreboard Operators Busy

Rays vs. Red Sox, 7:10 ET

There are a lot of fascinating divisions in baseball this season. Very few look like they are going to have a clear winner. I'd say that you could probably argue it will be either the Phillies or Mets in the NL East, but both teams should make the playoffs. In the American League Central, the Tigers have already pretty much run away with it. I'd also expect that the Astros will win the AL West. However, the AL East is one of the tougher divisions to figure out. It looked like the Yankees were the cream of the crop, but the Blue Jays have taken over for now. Also, don't look too far ahead as the Rays and Red Sox square off in a divisional battle tonight, both closely behind the division leaders.

I can't say how many times I've given praise to the Tampa Bay organization for the way they've succeeded over the years. The team continuously trades away players that are of good talent, but about to get a good payday. That isn't something that is worth praising, but the fact that they continue to win games despite their trades and changes is impressive. This is a team that entered the year with an expectation that it would be a bit of a down year. The revolving door of players and talent have made it so they are still successful, and they are seven games above .500 as of today. They are in third place in the division, but only have a game and a half lead over the Red Sox. They have lost two of three games to the Red Sox here and are in danger of losing three of four if Taj Bradley can't position them to win. Bradley is 5-6 for the season with a 4.79 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Bradley has been better on the road than he has been at home this season, including just a third of his homers coming on the road. Overall, Bradley has been a mixed bag. In six starts last month, he had three where he didn't allow an earned run, and three where he allowed at least five. His most recent outing saw him throw 5.2 innings and allow three earned runs. Red Sox hitters have been tough on Bradley, batting him around to a .261 batting average for the season. 

TAMPA, FL - APRIL 18: Chandler Simpson #14 of the Tampa Bay Rays laughs in the dugout in his MLB Debut during the game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday, April 18, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The Red Sox have been all over the map this season. They have had drama due to a player no longer with them. They have added players to the roster in the offseason who were difference makers. The team still seems to be stuck in the middle of the road, where they have been for a few seasons now. They are 49-45 for the season. They have been much better at home, eight games above .500. The problem is they go above and below the midway mark throughout this year. I mentioned a while ago that they didn't seem to have the ability to get a sustained, successful stretch. They have won six in a row (three were against the Rockies) and nine out of 11, so they proved that wrong. Maybe another guy can prove me wrong about what I think of him. Today, Walker Buehler takes the mound, and he has been awful. He has been better at home than he has been on the road. His home ERA is 3.93, and he has made three of seven starts quality ones in Fenway. Rays hitters haven't been very good against Buehler, going just 9-for-43 over their careers. 

The lines on this game are a bit weird because it shows that the Rays were heavy favorites, but I think that must've been prior to the pitchers being announced. The Red Sox are hot, but I think the Rays win this one. I just don't trust Buehler - a guy that I was big on for years prior to this. Instead of taking a side, I'm going to back the total. I expect both starters to allow the offenses pretty much whatever they want. I'm going to back the over in this game. 

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