Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Marlins was the eighth time the Rays scored three or fewer runs in that 13-game stretch, and fourth where they failed to score more than one.
“We got some guys who are going through it right now,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “We got them on the pitching side, on the offensive side and we’re just not clicking for whatever reason, but we’ll continue to work to get going.
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“I don’t think anybody in there feels too good about themselves at the plate right now. Certainly not after what’s gone on in the last 10 days or so.”
Connelly Early will get the start for the Sox, while the Rays will use Ian Seymour as the opener before turning the ball over to Mason Englert.
Here is a preview.
RED SOX (27-36): Duran LF, Rafaela CF, Abreu RF, Contreras 1B, Gasper DH, Durbin 3B, Kiner-Falefa 2B, Mayer SS, Narváez C.
Pitching: LHP Connelly Early (5-3, 3.26 ERA)
RAYS (37-25): Díaz DH, Slater LF, Caminero 3B, Vilade RF, Aranda 1B, Williamson 2B, Walls SS, Fortes C, Mullins CF.
Pitching: LHP Ian Seymour (3-0, 5.23 ERA)
Time: 6:40 p.m.
TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
Red Sox vs. Seymour: Isiah Kiner-Falefa 0-3, Jarren Duran 0-2, Carlos Narváez 0-1, Ceddanne Rafaela 0-1, Connor Wong 0-1, Masataka Yoshida 0-1
Rays vs. Early: Jonathan Aranda 1-2, Junior Caminero 1-4, Yandy Díaz 0-3, Nick Fortes 2-5, Chandler Simpson 1-5, Ryan Vilade 0-3, Taylor Walls 1-2, Ben Williamson 0-3
Stat of the day: The Red Sox rank last in the majors with 48 home runs. The Rays are two spots ahead with 52.
Notes: Early is 1-1 with a 1.64 ERA in two career appearances against Tampa Bay. He has 12 strikeouts in 11 innings against the Rays. That includes his seven-inning performance in which he struck out eight and didn’t allow a run in a 2-0 win on May 8. … While the Sox are just 6-11 against the AL East, they did take two of three from the Rays in early May at Fenway Park. … The Sox have failed to score more than three runs in 35 of 63 games, and have been limited to a total of 10 runs in their last five losses. … The Red Sox are 25-0 when leading after seven innings. The only other club without a loss is Texas (27-0). … Rays DH Yandy Diaz has a 21-game on-base streak. … Steven Matz had been in line to get the start for the Rays, but Cash announced on Sunday that they were moving the lefthander to the bullpen after two poor starts in which his ERA climbed to 5.48. … Englert doesn’t have a decision in seven career appearances (12 innings) against the Red Sox.
Information from Field Level Media was used in this story.
Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.
