On September 29, 2024, Fenway Park will set the stage for an intriguing showdown as the Tampa Bay Rays visit to clash with the Boston Red Sox, with first pitch scheduled for 3:05 PM under overcast skies.

Ryan Pepiot will take the mound for the Rays, coming in with a commendable ERA of 3.645. He’ll face off against the Red Sox’s Quinn Priester, who carries a higher ERA of 5.037. Despite contrasting performances from the pitchers, the game promises intense competition.

In the AL East Division standings for 2024, the Rays are currently 9th with a .500 winning percentage from an 80-81 record, while the Red Sox are closely matched in 10th place with an identical win-loss record. Tampa Bay has shown resilience in recent outings, winning 6 of their last 10, highlighted by a current two-game winning streak. At home, they have a 42-39 record, but they struggle slightly on the road with 38 wins to 42 losses. The Red Sox, on a three-game losing streak, present a mirrored challenge: stronger on the road (43-38) than at home (37-43).

Looking at the odds, the Rays are slight favorites on the money line (-116) over the Red Sox (-104). With a point spread of 1.5 and an over/under of 8.5, betting lines suggest a tight and potentially low-scoring affair. The numbers suggest that while both teams have weaknesses, this matchup could go either way, making for an intriguing bet. Considering the pitchers’ ERAs and recent team performances, cautious betting on the spread or exploring under strategies might be prudent approaches.