Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox Prediction, 5/8/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox

Date: Friday, May 8, 2026

Location: Fenway Park in Boston, MA

TV: NESN

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (+162) Boston (-196)

The Tampa Bay Rays (24-12) are hitting the road to Fenway Park on Friday where they will go up against the Boston Red Sox (16-21). The moneyline on this contest has the Rays at +162 while the Red Sox are at -196. The over/under is 8. The starting pitchers are Mason Englert and Connelly Early.

Tampa Bay has a slugging % of .374 and have been called out on strikes 254 times, while drawing a walk on 119 occasions. They have accrued 149 RBI's and 306 base knocks this season, while their average at the plate is at .254. The Rays have hit 45 two-baggers as a team and have hit 30 baseballs out of the stadium. They have racked up 159 runs scored and have an on-base percentage of .328. As a unit, the Tampa Bay Rays are recording 4.4 runs per game, which has them sitting at 15th in baseball.

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The Rays hold a team earned run average of 3.55 this season (4th in the league), and the staff has rung up 281 batters. Rays pitchers have allowed 38 home runs and 144 total runs (6th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 115 batters and their FIP sits at 4.06 as a squad on the season. Tampa Bay has given up 268 hits (7.4 per 9 innings) and 128 earned runs. They have a K/BB ratio of 2.44 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.18.

The Rays relievers have compiled a save rate of 80.0% and have come into the game in 49 save situations. They have compiled 16 saves so far this year and have blown 4 out of their 20 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 44 base runners on the year with 29.5% of those runners crossing home plate. Rays relief pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 34 times in addition to having 41 appearances in high leverage situations. The Rays have dispatched 116 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year. The relief pitchers have notched 29 holds for the year (2nd in MLB).

The Tampa Bay Rays have earned 973 putouts over the course of the season, as well as 285 assists and 25 errors. Their fielding rate is at .981 which has them sitting 28th in MLB, and they have turned 20 double plays. The Rays have turned 72.9% of balls in play into outs in their 2,919 innings, which has them sitting at 2nd in professional baseball.

Englert (5-5 career win-loss record) sits with a FIP of 5.02 while facing 591 hitters in the majors. He has given up 152 base hits (10.2 hits per nine innings) and has had 37 walks. His ERA is 5.09 (76 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.407. Englert has pitched in 134 innings and is sitting with 111 punch outs in his career.

Boston has tallied 27 home runs on the year as well as 142 RBIs. They have notched 59 doubles, while walking 126 times as well as putting up 149 runs. The Boston Red Sox have compiled an OBP of .317 as well as a team batting average of .237 for the year. The Red Sox hold a team slugging % of .356 and they average 4.03 runs per game (24th in the league). They have been called out on strikes on 317 occasions (11th in baseball) and have tallied 295 hits.

The Red Sox hold a team WHIP of 1.300 and have a FIP of 4.39 as a pitching staff so far this season. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.20 (298 strikeouts against 124 walks). They are currently ranked 16th in MLB as a staff in total hits given up with 300. They have allowed 45 dingers and they yield 4.31 runs per 9 innings (10th in MLB). The Boston pitching staff have conceded 156 runs so far this season while holding an ERA of 4.00 (145 earned runs allowed).

Boston bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 31.9% of 47 inherited base runners. Their relievers have come in 31 times in high leverage situations and also on 32 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 29 save situations, the Red Sox have compiled 18 holds in addition to 4 blown saves. They rank 15th in the league holding a save percentage of 63.6%, and they have sent 113 relievers onto the diamond over the course of the season.

In 2,937 innings on the field, the Red Sox have earned a defensive efficiency of 70.5% (13th in pro baseball). The Boston Red Sox have gotten 28 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .986 (14th in baseball). The Red Sox have recorded 332 assists, 18 errors and have 979 putouts so far this season.

Early (3-4 career record) holds a 3.31 ERA and has allowed 7.8 hits per nine innings. His K/BB ratio is 2.86 and he has gone up against 230 opposing hitters during his pro baseball career. He has allowed a total of 20 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.252 and a FIP of 3.3. During his MLB career, Early has allowed 47 hits while he has earned 60 punch outs in 54 frames.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (+162)

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