Preview: Charlie Morton kicks things off for Rays as wrap-around series vs. Red Sox begins

Published Sep. 20, 2019 10:24 p.m. ET

TV: FOX Sports Sun

TIME: Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.

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Boston Red Sox (80-72, third in the AL East) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (90-63, second in the AL East)

PITCHING PROBABLES

Red Sox: Rick Porcello (13-12, 5.77 ERA)

Rays: Charlie Morton (15-6, 3.16 ERA)

LINE

Rays -181; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE

Tampa Bay's Meadows puts 16-game hit streak on the line against Red Sox.

The Rays are 38-29 against the rest of their division. The Tampa Bay pitching staff has a team ERA of 3.70, Charlie Morton leads the staff with a mark of 3.16.

The Red Sox have gone 33-36 against division opponents. Boston ranks fourth in the league in hitting with a .270 batting average, Rafael Devers leads the club with an average of .311.

TOP PERFORMERS

Austin Meadows leads the Rays with 32 home runs and has 88 RBIs. Avisail Garcia has 12 hits and is batting .400 over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.

J.D. Martinez leads the Red Sox with 35 home runs and has 97 RBIs. Christian Vazquez is 9-for-27 with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs over the last 10 games for Boston.

LAST 10 GAMES

Rays: 6-4, .272 batting average, 4.40 ERA, outscored opponents by 12 runs

Red Sox: 4-6, .224 batting average, 4.69 ERA, outscored by 20 runs

Rays Injuries: Hoby Milner: (back/neck), Yonny Chirinos: (finger), Jose Alvarado: (elbow), Tommy Pham: (eye), Brandon Lowe: (leg), Yandy Diaz: (foot).

Red Sox Injuries: Steven Wright: (toe), Chris Sale: (elbow), David Price: (wrist), Heath Hembree: (elbow), Mookie Betts: (foot), Sam Travis: (head), Dustin Pedroia: (knee), Steve Pearce: (back), Michael Chavis: (shoulder), J.D. Martinez: (groin).