The red sox - rays series opened with Connelly Early scheduled to start Monday night in Tampa Bay after Boston’s 6-1 loss to the Yankees on Sunday afternoon. The Red Sox arrived for three games against a Rays team that is tied with New York atop the AL East.
Early Meets Tampa Bay Again
Early already handled this opponent once. On May 8, he held the Rays scoreless for 7.0 innings and struck out 8, giving Boston a reason to lean on him again after the setback in New York.
This start comes with a sharper edge because Boston was tied 1-1 with fewer than two innings left before the Yankees pulled away. A trip to first-place Tampa Bay leaves little room for another slow finish if the Red Sox want to keep the week from turning into a slide.
Rays Enter At 3-7
Tampa Bay has not been rolling either. The Rays were 3-7 over their last 10 games and 3-9 since ending a five-game winning streak, even while holding first place in the division.
Ian Seymour was lined up as the opener against Early on Monday, and the rotation shape stays in play through the middle of the series. Payton Tolle was scheduled for Tuesday against Nick Martinez, while Wednesday was set to bring Drew Rasmussen against a Red Sox starter still to be determined.
Rasmussen And The Boston Plan
Rasmussen’s recent line gives Boston a clear target. He allowed 4 runs in 3.2 innings to the Pirates in April and 5 runs in 4.0 innings to the Angels at the end of May, but he also held the Red Sox to 1 run over 5.2 innings in their May matchup at Fenway Park.
Boston’s side of the matchup has more moving parts. Tolle had kept the Orioles scoreless for 6.0 innings in his previous outing before allowing 3 runs, 1 earned, in 5.0 innings against Tampa in May, and Nick Martinez followed a start in which he gave up 6 runs in 4.0 innings to the Tigers with a May outing in which he held the Red Sox to 1 run for 5.2 innings at Fenway Park.
That leaves Boston with one reliable piece already in place and two more games that can swing on how quickly it settles the mound plan. Nate Eaton was expected to be called up, and Wednesday’s starter was still waiting to be named when the series opened.
