Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox — Mar 13, 2026 | AI Prediction & Stats

Boston sends Brayan Bello to the mound, and his heavy-sink fastball matches up well against a Rays lineup that has struggled to elevate the ball this spring. Tampa counters with Taj Bradley, whose electric four-seamer can miss bats but still suffers from occasional command lapses, particularly the second time through the order. Early on, Rafael Devers jumps Bradley with a first-inning opposite-field homer, staking Boston to a 1-0 lead. Tampa answers in the second when Randy Arozarena turns on a hanging slider for an RBI double, but Bello minimizes further damage by rolling a 6-4-3 double play. The third tilts back toward Boston as Jarren Duran manufactures a run with a bunt single, stolen base, and Trevor Story’s bloop hit—exposing Tampa’s middle-infield shift. Bradley steadies, yet his pitch count climbs. In the fifth, Bello’s two-seamer starts to run arm-side; Kevin Cash presses with aggressive hit-and-run tactics, but Masataka Yoshida makes a sliding snag in left to thwart the rally. Bottom half, Bradley walks the bases loaded and Alex Cora’s patient approach pays off: Triston Casas laces a two-run single through the right-side vacated by Tampa’s overshift, pushing Boston ahead 4-2. Tampa’s bullpen, already taxed after three straight losses, calls on Shawn Armstrong. He strands two but surrenders an insurance solo shot to Adam Duvall in the eighth. Meanwhile, Boston’s setup duo of Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen locks down the late innings; Jansen’s cutter induces a routine grounder from Yandy Díaz to close it out. Key factors: • Boston’s offense (782 runs last year) continues to cash in on traffic, while Tampa’s OPS against right-handed sinkers ranks bottom-third this spring. • The Rays are missing Brandon Lowe (hamstring) and are easing newcomer Xavier Edwards into full-time duty, thinning their left-handed punch. • Boston’s defensive upgrades up the middle (Story healthy at short, Emanuel Valdez at second) convert two high-leverage double plays that flip innings. Final outlook: Boston leverages superior form, deeper pen freshness, and home-field dimensions to edge Tampa 5-3 and tighten its grip on third place in the early division race.