The Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays close their season series tonight at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

Boston has already taken the first two games of the set, and a sweep would be crucial to keeping pace with the Toronto Blue Jays, who entered today 4.5 games ahead in the AL East and won earlier this afternoon against the Kansas City Royals.

The Red Sox still have a mathematical shot at the division, with a pivotal three-game series against Toronto starting Tuesday. If they win tonight and sweep the Blue Jays, Boston could climb to within 1.5 games of first place. But that same series could also give the New York Yankees — just two games back — a chance to leapfrog Toronto.

The Red Sox are also tightly locked into the Wild Card picture. They currently occupy the second spot, just behind the Yankees, but they’re only 1.5 games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians. With Cleveland pressing, a loss tonight could push Boston to the edge of falling out of postseason position. Every game from here on is high stakes.

On the mound, Boston turns to rookie Connelly Early, who has impressed in his first two big-league starts with a 1–0 record and a 0.87 ERA. He has worked around five innings per outing, meaning the bullpen will play a big role again tonight.

Tampa hands the ball to Joe Boyle, who is 1–3 with a 4.64 ERA while bouncing between the majors and minors this year. After a rocky August, Boyle looked sharp in his lone September outing, tossing six scoreless innings against Toronto with just three hits allowed and no walks. If that form holds, he could be an X-factor in derailing Boston’s postseason chase.

Prediction

The Red Sox are riding momentum behind their rookie starter and clutch bats, but Tampa’s Joe Boyle has the stuff to keep things close. Expect a tight game, but Boston’s bullpen depth and urgency in the playoff race give them the edge.

Final Score Prediction: Red Sox 4, Rays 3

Starting Lineups

Boston Red Sox

1. Jarren Duran — LF

2. Trevor Story — SS

3. Alex Bregman — 3B

4. Masataka Yoshida — RF

5. Romy Gonzalez — 2B

6. Nathaniel Lowe — 1B

7. Ceddanne Rafaela — CF

8. Wilyer Abreau — DH

9. Conner Wong — C

Starting Pitcher: Connelly Early (LHP) — 1–0, 0.87 ERA

Tampa Bay Rays

1. Chandler Simpson — CF

2. Yandy Díaz — DH

3. Junior Caminero — 3B

4. Brandon Lowe — 2B

5. Christopher Morel — LF

6. Nick Fortes — C

7. Tristan Gray — 1B

8. Everson Pereira — RF

9. Carson Williams — SS

Starting Pitcher: Joe Boyle (RHP) — 1–3, 4.64 ERA

How to Watch Red Sox vs. Rays

First pitch for tonight’s game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays is set for 7:35 PM Eastern at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

The game airs live on NESN and FanDuel Sports Network Sun. Out-of-market viewers can catch the game on MLB.TV.

Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Sunday, September 21, 2025

First Pitch: 7:35 PM Eastern

Venue: George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL

TV: NESN, FanDuel Sports Network Sun

Streaming: MLB.TV