The Tampa Bay Rays have been on a record breaking start to the season as they enter Monday’s game against AL East Division rivals, the Boston Red Sox. The Rays are 9-0, having swept the last three series’ and now have a big test to see if they can continue their hot hitting and dominating pitching against the Sox.
The Red Sox dropped the home opener to the Baltimore Orioles 10-9, but won the final two games of the series 9-8 and 9-5. The Pittsburgh Pirates visited Boston for the first time since 2005 and came away with a three game sweep. Boston then traveled to Detroit to play the Tigers and their offense woke up as they took game one 6-3, game two 14-5, and on Easter Sunday completed their first three game sweep of the season, by defeating the Tigers 4-1. At a record of 5-4, the Red Sox find themselves in fourth place, four games behind the league leading Rays.
On Monday, the Rays will send to the mound left hander Jalen Beeks to start his first game of the season. So far he has appeared in two games, tossing three innings, allowing one earned run, a walk and two strike outs.
It’s being reported that Beeks will start but only go an inning or two, then giving the ball over to Josh Fleming. In Fleming’s last start on April 4th, he tossed three innings, allowing 10 hits, fiver earned runs, a walk and struck out two batters.
The Red Sox they will start Nick Pivetta, who last pitched on April 4th and tossed five innings, allowing one earned run on three hits, walked three and struck out six, while taking the loss.
As for the offense, the Rays enter Monday’s game having outscored their opponents 75-18, with three shutout victories in nine games, the last two being back to back 11-0 victories over the Oakland A’s. The Rays are led by Wander Franco – .351 (13 for 37), 7 R, 3 Doubles, 4 HR, and 9 RBIs and Randy Arozarena – .371 (13 for 35), 9 R, 3 Doubles, 2 HR, 11 RBIs.
Boston has outscored their opponents 59-47, winning the last three and five of the last nine. They are led by Adam Duvall – .455 (15 for 33), 11 R, 5 Doubles, a triple, 4 HRs and 14 RBIs and Rafael Devers – .333 (13 for 39), 9 R, 3 Doubles, 4 HRs and 9 RBIs.
Something has got to give as it will either be the Red Sox extending their winning streak to four games, or the Rays starting the season at 10-0, which will be three wins away from the best start since the 1982 Atlanta Braves and the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers, who both won their first 13 games of the season.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM (ET) at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
