PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's MLB Thursday Totals Destroyer
(MLB) Boston vs. Tampa Bay,
Total: 9.00 | -114.00 Over
Result: Loss
Total: 9.00 | -114.00 Over
Result: Loss
Boston's Mike Kickham is making his first big league start since 2013. He has a 2.00 WHIP and probably will be lucky to last three innings. It's debatable if Kickham is even a major leaguer. He hasn't been one in seven years.
The Rays are batting just .195 during their last five games. But they're likely to halt their offensive woes getting to face Kickham and a bad Boston bullpen. The Rays have left an average of nearly seven on base during their past five games. I see them continuing to get baserunners, but this time driving them in.
That was the case when the teams met last month. The Rays swept the Red Sox in a four-game series at Fenway Park averaging 10.5 runs and batting .364 with nine homers.
Boston should do its part by helping this total go Over. The Red Sox face lefty Josh Fleming, who will be making his fourth big league start. Fleming has been solid with a 3.52 ERA. He's been fortunate, though, to face the Marlins twice. Miami is a below average offensive team.
The Red Sox have the league's sixth-highest batting average versus southpaws and also rank in the top nine in slugging percentage and OPS against lefties.
The Rays are batting just .195 during their last five games. But they're likely to halt their offensive woes getting to face Kickham and a bad Boston bullpen. The Rays have left an average of nearly seven on base during their past five games. I see them continuing to get baserunners, but this time driving them in.
That was the case when the teams met last month. The Rays swept the Red Sox in a four-game series at Fenway Park averaging 10.5 runs and batting .364 with nine homers.
Boston should do its part by helping this total go Over. The Red Sox face lefty Josh Fleming, who will be making his fourth big league start. Fleming has been solid with a 3.52 ERA. He's been fortunate, though, to face the Marlins twice. Miami is a below average offensive team.
The Red Sox have the league's sixth-highest batting average versus southpaws and also rank in the top nine in slugging percentage and OPS against lefties.