Game 3 ALDS: Rays at Boston Red Sox — Pregame News and Notes
Updated 2:40 p.m. After a day off on Saturday, the Rays will look to regain home field advantage in the ALDS on Sunday at Fenway Park. Tampa Bay and Boston are even at a game apiece after a 14–6 Rays loss on Friday night at Tropicana Field. Boston hit five homers and scored 12 of the next 13 runs after Tampa Bay took a 5–2 first inning lead.
Here’s the Rays lineup for today:
Lowe 2B
Franco SS
Meadows LF
Cruz DH
Choi 1B
Arozarena RF
Kiermaier CF
Zunino C
Wendle 3B
Drew Rasmussen, as expected, will get the start for game three. Rasmussen was 4–0 with a 2.44 ERA over 20 appearances with Tampa Bay this season, 10 of those as a starter. Rasmussen has faced Boston five times this season as a starter or a reliever and has given up just four runs in 15.2 innings (2.30 ERA).
Alex Verdugo (3-for-6 with a double and a triple) has been the most productive Red Sox player against Rasmussen. As a whole, Boston hitters are 13-for-58 (.224) without a homer against the righty. Here’s the Red Sox lineup:
Schwarber 1B
Hernandez CF
Devers 3B
Bogaerts SS
Verdugo LF
Martinez DH
Renfroe RF
Plawecki C
Arroyo 2B
The Rays will not make a roster move as Matt Wisler feels better. Wisler has been bothered by a bad middle finger and could be placed on the IL for the third time season. Wisler allowed a three-run homer to JD Martinez on Friday at Tropicana Field.
Nathan Eovaldi, Boston’s best pitcher, will go for the Red Sox. Eovaldi (11–9 3.75 in the regular season) has faced Tampa Bay four previous times and has been extremely sharp, giving up just seven earned runs in 26.1 innings (2.39) ERA). In the last two starts against the Rays, Eovaldi allowed one run total over 14 frames.
Austin Meadows (7-for-21) and Joey Wendle (6-for-17) have the best career numbers against Eovaldi. This season Brandon Lowe has the best production (3-for-9) in the four starts Eovaldi has made against Tampa Bay, while Meadows (2-for-12) and Wendle (1-for-10) have been contained.
Coverage of today’s game begins at 3:30 p.m. from Fenway Park and Dave and Andy will have the call with first pitch at 4:07.
