MLB Final Intelligence
Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox โ Recap
July 17, 2026 ยท Fenway Park ยท View Preview
Game Recap
The Boston Red Sox, entering play as the slight favorite against the high-flying Tampa Bay Rays, lived up to their implied probability on Tuesday night, securing a 5-3 victory. The Rays, boasting a 62-43 record, initially threatened to upset the home team, with DeLuca singling to left in the top of the first inning to score Caminero and Vilade, putting Tampa Bay up 2-0. Mullins also advanced to third on a throwing error during the play, signaling an early advantage for the visitors.
However, the Red Sox, who entered the contest with a 54-50 record, quickly asserted control. The bottom of the first inning proved to be the game's turning point, as Wilyer Abreu launched a massive 422-foot two-run homer to right-center, scoring Rafaela and tying the game. Moments later, Contreras followed with a 367-foot solo shot to left-center, flipping the script and giving Boston a 3-2 lead that they would never relinquish.
Tampa Bay briefly clawed back in the third when Caminero connected for a 423-foot solo home run to left, knotting the score at 3-3. But the Red Sox had an immediate answer, as Abreu once again showcased his power, blasting his second home run of the night, a 405-foot shot to right-center in the bottom of the third, to put Boston back ahead 4-3. The Red Sox then added an insurance run in the fourth when Seigler doubled to right, driving in Cheng to extend their lead to 5-3.
Wilyer Abreu's remarkable performance, featuring two home runs, three RBI, and two runs scored, was the standout batting display of the night. On the mound, Rays pitcher Mason Englert endured a tough outing, giving up all five earned runs over 5.0 innings while striking out four. Ultimately, the Red Sox closed out the contest with the 5-3 final score, validating their pregame market position and adding another win to their season.
How the Prediction Fared
Pregame, the market favored the Boston Red Sox (-114, 51% implied) over the Tampa Bay Rays. Final: the Boston Red Sox won 5โ3.
Player of the Game
Turning Point
The game turned in the 1st inning, when the Boston Red Sox scored 3 runs.
Pitching
| Pitcher | Team | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Englert L |
|
5.0 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 4.54 |
| Eduardo Rivera |
|
2.1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2.89 |
| Jovani Moran |
|
2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.68 |
| Aroldis Chapman S |
|
1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2.12 |
| Garrett Whitlock |
|
1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.12 |
| Justin Slaten |
|
1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5.40 |
| Tyron Guerrero |
|
1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.21 |
| Cam Booser |
|
1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.50 |
| Cole Sulser |
|
1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5.40 |
| Craig Kimbrel |
|
1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4.66 |
| Greg Weissert W |
|
0.2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.76 |
Batting
| Batter | Team | AB | H | HR | RBI | R | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilyer Abreu |
|
4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Junior Caminero |
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonny DeLuca |
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Caleb Durbin |
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Willson Contreras |
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Anthony Seigler |
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ceddanne Rafaela |
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tsung-Che Cheng |
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Ben Williamson |
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cedric Mullins |
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Taylor Walls |
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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