The Boston Red Sox will have a chance to win a divisional series in the second game of a three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon.
Rich Hill will toe the rubber for Boston coming off nine-days rest. The southpaw will be challenged by a Rays offense that scored eight runs Friday night in the series opener at Fenway Park.
He’ll oppose ex-Red Sox Jeffrey Springs, who has been a borderline ace this season. The unheralded southpaw is in the 96th percentile for chase rate, a favorable combination to pair with Boston’s overly aggressive approach. The Red Sox will need to show more patience than they have throughout the majority of this season to have success against Springs.
Springs will face a lineup that is one step closer to being healthy as second baseman Trevor Story is back, batting sixth after being activated before the game. Rafael Devers also will be back in the lineup after a day off, batting fourth.
You can watch Saturday’s game between the Red Sox and Rays with NESN 360. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET, following an hour of pregame coverage.
Check out the full Red Sox vs. Rays lineups below.
BOSTON RED SOX (61-65)
Tommy Pham, LF
Alex Verdugo, RF
J.D. Martinez, DH
Rafael Devers, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Trevor Story, 2B
Kiké Hernández, CF
Bobby Dalbec, 1B
Kevin Plawecki, C
Rich Hill, LHP (5-5, 4.68 ERA)
TAMPA BAY RAYS (69-56)
Yandy DÃaz, DH
Manuel Margot, RF
Randy Arozarena, LF
Harold RamÃrez, 1B
Isaac Paredes, 3B
Christian Bethancourt, C
Yu Chang, 2B
Taylor Walls, SS
José Siri, CF
Jeffrey Springs, LHP (6-3, 2.46 ERA)
