Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox Picks and Prediction for Sunday, July 19, 2026
Use Code WWWC The Tampa Bay Rays face the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston on Sunday. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET, with coverage available on MLB.TV. Tampa Bay enters at 56-40 overall and 21-25 away, while Boston is 48-48 overall and 19-27 at home. The Red Sox have won five straight games, including two victories over Tampa Bay on Friday, while the Rays have dropped three consecutive games after winning two of three against Seattle. Cash in a winner with our free MLB picks
Tampa Bay is Playing Well to Start the Second Half
The Tampa Bay Rays have one of the stronger records in baseball, but the current series has exposed some problems. Tampa Bay lost both games of Friday’s doubleheader against Boston, falling 10-0 in the opener and 5-3 in the second game. Tampa Bay still brings solid season-long numbers into Sunday’s matchup. The Rays are batting .257 with a .332 on-base percentage and a .397 slugging percentage, producing 428 runs, 821 hits and 95 home runs. Tampa Bay has also stolen 89 bases, which gives the lineup another way to put pressure on Boston. Junior Caminero leads the club with 29 home runs and has added 60 RBIs, while Yandy Diaz is batting .314 with a .391 on-base percentage. Jonathan Aranda has driven in a team-high 64 runs while batting .291.
The Rays have received strong work from the pitching staff for most of the season. Tampa Bay has a 3.88 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP, with opponents batting .235. The club has struck out 776 hitters while issuing 257 walks, showing much better control than several teams across the league.Â
Injuries: Jesse Scholtens, 15-day injured list. Steven Matz, 15-day injured list. Manuel Rodriguez, 60-day injured list. Jake Fraley, 10-day injured list. Steven Wilson, 60-day injured list.
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Boston Is Baseball’s Hottest TeamÂ
The Boston Red Sox have reached .500 after putting together their best recent stretch of the season. Boston has won 11 straight games after taking both Friday games against Tampa Bay. The Red Sox scored 15 runs in the doubleheader and allowed only three. Boston is batting .245 with a .315 on-base percentage and a .392 slugging percentage. The Red Sox have scored 400 runs with 787 hits and 90 home runs, putting the lineup behind Tampa Bay in several season totals. Willson Contreras has carried a large share of the offense, batting .285 with 21 home runs, 62 RBIs and a .547 slugging percentage. Ceddanne Rafaela leads Boston with 98 hits while batting .279, and Wilyer Abreu has added 13 home runs, 46 RBIs and a .263 average.
The strongest part of Boston’s team has been the pitching staff. The Red Sox own a 3.55 ERA with a 1.21 WHIP, while opponents are batting .236. Boston has recorded 814 strikeouts and has allowed 96 home runs. That ERA has reduced the amount of pressure placed on a lineup that has been inconsistent for much of the season.
Injuries: Ranger Suarez, 15-day injured list. Trevor Story, 60-day injured list. Marcelo Mayer, 10-day injured list. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 10-day injured list. Triston Casas, 60-day injured list.
Pitching Matchup
Tampa Bay Rays - Shane McClanahan
The left-hander has allowed 69 hits and six home runs while recording 82 strikeouts against 28 walks. McClanahan has allowed fewer hits than innings pitched and has kept the ball in the park, which will be important against Contreras and a Boston lineup that scored 15 runs on Friday.
Boston Red Sox - Sonny Gray
Gray is 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP over 95.2 innings. The right-hander has allowed 81 hits and 10 home runs while striking out 85 and walking 24. The right-hander has the better record, ERA, and WHIP in this matchup, and Boston enters after allowing only seven runs during the last five games.
Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox Pick
- Boston Red SoxÂ
Boston is the stronger straight-up play based on the current form and starting pitching matchup. The Red Sox have won 11 straight games and have already beaten Tampa Bay twice in this series, outscoring the Rays 15-3. Gray has an 11-1 record with a 2.54 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP, giving Boston a small statistical edge over McClanahan. Tampa Bay has the better overall record and stronger batting average, but the Rays have scored only five runs during the three-game losing streak. Boston’s pitching staff has also allowed just seven runs across its last five games.
Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox Over/Under Pick
- UnderÂ
The pitching matchup supports a lower-scoring game. McClanahan has a 2.83 ERA and has allowed only six home runs in 86 innings, while Gray has a 2.54 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Boston owns a 3.55 team ERA, and Tampa Bay carries a 3.88 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP. The Red Sox have allowed two runs or fewer in four of the last five games, while the Rays have scored three runs or fewer in each game of the current losing streak. Both starters limit baserunners, and neither lineup has a team slugging percentage above .400.
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