Game 4: Rays vs Boston Red Sox — Pregame News and Notes

Updated 10:15 AM After a pair of one-run defeats, the Rays will look to split their opening four-game series with the Boston Red Sox this afternoon. The fact that all three games in the series have been decided by one or two runs should not be surprising, as 20 of the last 31 games between the Rays and Red Sox have been decided by that margin.

Here’s today’s Rays lineup, with Wilson Ramos back in place of Jesus Sucre after getting last night off and Joey Wendle and Mallex Smith making their second straight starts against a second consecutive right-hander:

Span DH

Kiermaier CF

Gomez RF

Miller 1B

Duffy 3B

Wendle 2B

Ramos C

Smith LF

Hechavarria SS

Tampa Bay, which like Boston has scored just eight runs in the first three games, will look to get on track offensively. Kevin Kiermaier had a 22-game on-base streak snapped yesterday that dated back to last season.

Jake Faria (5–4 3.43 last year) will start for the Rays today. Faria has only faced the Red Sox at Tropicana Field, once as a starter and once as a reliever, and has allowed just one run in nine innings.

One of Faria’s challenges will be slowing down Xander Bogaerts, who has six extra base hits in the first three games (two in each). Since 1908 only Bogaerts and Adrian Gonzalez (2015 LAD) have started a season that way.

Hector Velazaquez (3–1 2.92 in 2017) will start for Boston. It’s his first MLB start, and first appearance against the Rays.

Here’s the Red Sox lineup, with Andrew Benintendi, Hanley Ramirez, and Eduardo Nunez getting the afternoon off, and Blake Swihart making his first start of the year:

Betts RF

Devers 3B

Martinez LF

Bogaerts SS

Moreland 1B

Vazquez C

Bradley Jr. CF

Swihart DH

Holt 2B

Coverage of today’s game begins at 11:30 a.m. with This Week in Rays Baseball, with Kevin Kiermaier among the guests. The pregame show starts at 12:30, and Dave and Andy will have the call with first pitch at 1:10.