Eovaldi expected to start as Boston hosts Tampa Bay

Updated Sep. 8, 2021 3:20 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Tampa Bay Rays (88-51, first in the AL East) vs. Boston Red Sox (79-62, third in the AL East)

Boston; Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Shane McClanahan (9-5, 3.67 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 125 strikeouts) Red Sox: Nathan Eovaldi (10-8, 3.68 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 163 strikeouts)

LINE: Red Sox -110, Rays -108; over/under is 9 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: Boston and Tampa Bay will face off on Wednesday.

The Red Sox are 43-29 in home games in 2020. Boston is hitting a collective batting average of .261 this season, led by Xander Bogaerts with an average of .298.

The Rays are 43-25 on the road. Tampa Bay hitters have posted a team on-base percentage of .317 this season, led by Randy Arozarena with a mark of .352.

The Rays won the last meeting 12-7. Drew Rasmussen recorded his second victory and Nelson Cruz went 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs and four RBIs for Tampa Bay. Eduardo Rodriguez registered his eighth loss for Boston.

TOP PERFORMERS: J.D. Martinez leads the Red Sox with 144 hits and has 89 RBIs.

Arozarena leads the Rays with 128 hits and is batting .276.

LAST 10 GAMES: Red Sox: 4-6, .285 batting average, 5.93 ERA, outscored by 13 runs

Rays: 7-3, .287 batting average, 4.85 ERA, outscored opponents by 21 runs

INJURIES: Red Sox: Hansel Robles: (lat), Nick Pivetta: (covid-19), Martin Perez: (covid-19), Darwinzon Hernandez: (oblique), Eduard Bazardo: (lat), Matt Barnes: (covid-19), Jarren Duran: (covid-19), Yairo Munoz: (covid-19), Xander Bogaerts: (covid-19), Christian Arroyo: (health protocols).

Rays: Matt Wisler: (finger), Ryan Thompson: (shoulder), Jeffrey Springs: (knee), Chaz Roe: (shoulder), Cody Reed: (thumb), Colin Poche: (elbow), DJ Johnson: (shoulder), Tyler Glasnow: (elbow), Oliver Drake: (forearm), Yonny Chirinos: (elbow), Jalen Beeks: (elbow), Nick Anderson: (elbow), Brett Phillips: (ankle), Ji-Man Choi: (hamstring), Francisco Mejia: (shoulder).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.