Boston @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 29, 2013 ) Tampa Bay 2, Boston 1
Losing All-Star right-hander Clay Buchholz in early June was expected to be the blow that unraveled the Boston Red Sox' surprising rise to the top of the American League East. But Buchholz returns for the opener of a three-game series at Tampa Bay on Tuesday with the Red Sox owning the best record in the majors and a 7 1/2-game advantage over the second-place Rays. Boston has won 12 of 15, including three of four versus the New York Yankees to open a seven-game trip last weekend.
Tampa Bay has hit a rough patch, dropping 11 of its last 15, but ended a three-game skid with a 4-1 victory at Seattle on Sunday and has a 1 1/2-game cushion over Baltimore and Cleveland for the second wild card. The Rays' focus down the stretch can go one of two ways - with a successful series against Boston they could close the gap and make a run at a division title, or with a bad week they could find themselves clawing to hold onto a wild-card spot. Boston leads the season series 10-6 and has won four of six meetings in Tampa Bay.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NESN (Boston), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (9-0, 1.71 ERA) vs. Rays LH David Price (8-7, 3.51)
Buchholz hasn't pitched in the majors since June 8, sidelined by neck and shoulder issues after a staggering start to the season in which the Red Sox won 11 of the 12 games he started. The 29-year-old made two rehab starts to prepare for his return and told reporters all of his pitches felt good during a bullpen session Sunday. Buchholz is 6-5 with a 2.53 ERA in 15 starts against the Rays and threw eight innings of two-hit ball in the first meeting this year.
Price, last year's Cy Young Award winner, has endured an up-and-down season and lost his second straight start Thursday versus the Los Angeles Angels, allowing six runs on 11 hits over seven innings. The 28-year-old has been outstanding in three road starts against Boston this year, but was tagged for four runs in 2 1/3 innings and took the loss in his only start against the Red Sox at home. Price is 10-5 with a 2.98 ERA in 19 career meetings with Boston.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox C Ryan Lavarnway is 13-for-31 during an eight-game hitting streak and 3B Will Middlebrooks, who turned 25 on Monday, is 13-for-28 with four homers and nine RBIs during a seven-game streak.
2. Rays 3B Evan Longoria needs one home run to join Carlos Pena as the only players in franchise history with three 30-homer seasons.
3. Boston's Mike Napoli is 9-for-18 with four homers and nine RBIs over the past five games.
PREDICTION: Red Sox 3, Rays 2