MLB Predictions - Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays June 28, 2016

The Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays play Game 2 of their series later tonight with Rick Porcello and Chris Archer each looking to notch a win in their last starts of the month.

 

Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

 

When: Tuesday, June 28, 2016, 7:10 PM ET

 

Line: Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays – view all MLB lines

 

TV Broadcast: ESPN

 

For all the season, the Red Sox have relied on the offense to carry them to victories. They might need their batters to go nuts at the plate again later tonight with the struggling Rick Porcello (8-2, 3.93 ERA) pitching.

 

Porcello's numbers have continued to worsen following an impressive April in which he went 5-0 with a 2.76 ERA in five starts. Since then, Porcello went 2-2 (4.65 ERA) in May and 1-0 with a 4.45 ERA this month. In his most recent start, Porcello allowed four earned runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings of an 8-7 win over the White Sox on June 23.

 

Obviously, the offense saved Porcello from picking up a loss because game and the Red Sox look to produce the righty with an ample level of runs for him to manage.

 

 

So far this season, Porcello is getting 7.28 RS/9 from Boston’s offense.

 

David Ortiz is a prime candidate to deal damage to Tampa Bay later tonight, considering his excellent 11-for-29 (.379) career batting line with three doubles and 14 RBI against Rays starter Chris Archer.

 

Boston is 6-1 in its last seven games against the Rays when Chris Archer is the starter.

 

Not much is certainly going Chris Archer's way this season. He's 4-10 with a 4.70 ERA. He's picked up a loss in each of his past three starts, which includes the 6-1 loss to Cleveland on June 22, wherein Archer allowed four earned runs on six hits in six innings of action.

 

Facing Boston's deadly offense later tonight, Archer will need to come right into Game 2 in top form. What's more troubling for the Rays is which they can't even say with a straight face which they trust their bullpen to silence Boston once it's the relievers start the mound. Tampa Bay's bullpen is 24th in the majors with a 4.33 ERA and owns the third-highest home-run-per-nine-innings ratio with 1.92.

 

Tampa Bay's hitters, however, can jump in early stages Porcello to back Archer some runs. Porcello has been bad in the first innings, as he has a 4.20 ERA in first innings, 3.60 ERA in second innings, and 6.00 ERA in third innings.

 

 

Logan Forsythe is 5-for-14 (.357 ) lifetime with a triple and two walks against Porcello

 

MLB Picks Tampa Bay get's the win in this spot.

 

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