Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox Prediction, 4/5/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox

Date: Monday, April 5, 2021

Location: Fenway Park in Boston, MA

TV: NESN

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (-116) Boston (-132)

Nick Pivetta and the Boston Red Sox (0-2, 5th in AL East) host the Tampa Bay Rays (2-1, 2nd in AL East) at Fenway Park on Monday. The odds on this game have the Rays priced at -116 and the Red Sox are at -132. The O/U is set at 9.5. The expected starting pitchers are Michael Wacha and Nick Pivetta.

The Rays accounted for 105 doubles as a unit last year and hit 80 balls out of the park. Tampa Bay was slugging .425 and were called out on strikes 608 times, while drawing a walk on 243 occasions. As a unit, the Tampa Bay Rays knocked in 4.8 runs per outing, which put them at 12th in baseball. They compiled 274 RBI's in addition to 470 hits for the prior year, while their average at the plate finished at .238. They had a total of 289 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .328.

The Rays finished with a team ERA of 3.57 last season (3rd in the league), and their staff struck out 552 hitters. Their strikeout to walk ratio was at 3.29 and the pitching staff had a team WHIP of 1.22. Rays pitchers conceded 70 home runs and 229 total runs (27th in the league). They walked 168 batters and their FIP came in at 3.94 as a squad over the course of last year. The Rays bullpen earned a save rate of 74.2% and entered the game in 73 save situations. The relievers inherited 97 runners in the previous season and 17.5% of them ended up crossing the plate. Rays relief pitchers stepped onto the hill with runners on in 69 outings in addition to 84 games with high leverage. The Rays had dispatched 219 relievers to the mound last season. The relievers a total of 41 holds in the previous season (5th in the league). They earned 23 saves over the course of the prior season and blew 8 of 31 chances to save the game.

Michael Wacha allowed 46 hits in 34 innings he pitched last year. His earned run average was 6.62 and he fanned 37 batters. He surrendered 25 ER's throughout last season and had a K/BB ratio of 5.3. He surrendered 12.2 H/9 and he had a WHIP of 1.559. Wacha held a FIP of 5.25 and an ERA+ of 66. Wacha has taken the ball for 901 innings and has earned 796 K's so far in his MLB career. His ERA is 4.01 (402 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.334. He has surrendered 895 hits (8.9 hits per 9 innings) with 308 walks. Wacha (60-43 mark in his career) holds a FIP of 4.01 while facing 3,849 opposing hitters during his time in the major leagues.

Boston recorded 81 long balls in the previous season to go along with 278 runs batted in. They recorded 118 doubles, while taking a walk 187 times and putting up 292 runs. The Boston Red Sox held an on-base percentage of .330 and a team batting average of .265 over the course of the prior season. The Red Sox held a slugging % of .445 and they were scoring 4.87 runs per game (11th in MLB). They were rung up on 545 occasions (8th in the league) and had 552 hits.

The Boston pitching staff conceded 351 runs over the course of last year while having an ERA of 5.58 (325 earned runs yielded). They allowed 98 homers and they relinquished 6.03 runs per 9 innings (29th in MLB). The Red Sox held a team WHIP of 1.601 with a FIP of 5.19 as a unit last year. Their K/BB ratio was 2.13 (537 strikeouts against 252 bases on balls). They ranked 1st in MLB as a staff in total hits given up with 587. Boston called on relievers to step onto the hill in 69 save situations and they walked away with 14 saves. They were ranked 27th in MLB with a save rate of 51.9%, and they dispatched 232 bullpen pitchers to the mound last season. Their relief pitchers took the field in 60 games with high leverage and also 55 contests with runners on. Boston bullpen pitchers held an inherited score percentage of 29.0% of 96 inherited base runners. Finishing with 27 save opportunities, the Red Sox earned 40 holds and also 13 blown saves.

Pivetta earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.6 with 13 total punch outs and an ERA+ of 269. He took the hill for 10.0 innings last year while allowing 7.2 H/9. Pivetta gave up 8 hits while he surrendered 2 earned runs (1.80 ERA). His WHIP sat at 1.30 and he earned a FIP of 3.39 over the course of last season. So far in his MLB career, Pivetta has allowed 428 base knocks while he has accumulated 434 strikeouts in 406 innings pitched. Pivetta (21-30 career win-loss mark) has earned a 5.40 earned run average and has allowed 9.5 hits per 9 innings. He has conceded 244 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.430 and having a FIP of 4.6. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.84 and he has gone up against 1,770 batters so far in his MLB career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game ATS?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Boston (-132)

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