
Tensions rising at Real Madrid as Mbappe saga reaches 'flashpoint'
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The Tampa Bay Rays (24-12) are set to face the Boston Red Sox (16-21) in a four-game series starting Thursday at 7:10 p.m. EDT. Griffin Jax will pitch for the Rays, while Jake Bennett takes the mound for the Red Sox.

Tampa Bay Rays (24-12, second in the AL East) vs. Boston Red Sox (16-21, fifth in the AL East)
Boston; Thursday, 7:10 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Griffin Jax (1-2, 5.14 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 14 strikeouts); Red Sox: Jake Bennett (1-0, 1.80 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, three strikeouts)
LINE: Red Sox -120, Rays +101; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Red Sox host the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday to begin a four-game series.
Boston has a 16-21 record overall and a 6-10 record in home games. The Red Sox are 10-5 in games when they did not allow a home run.
Tampa Bay is 10-8 in road games and 24-12 overall. Rays hitters are batting a collective .254, the fifth-best team batting average in MLB play.
The teams meet Thursday for the first time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Wilyer Abreu has a .299 batting average to lead the Red Sox, and has six doubles, a triple and five home runs. Ceddanne Rafaela is 13 for 40 with a home run and six RBIs over the past 10 games.
Yandy Diaz leads the Rays with a .318 batting average, and has three doubles, a triple, five home runs, 13 walks and 22 RBIs. Jonathan Aranda is 14 for 35 with a home run and eight RBIs over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Red Sox: 6-4, .247 batting average, 2.83 ERA, outscored opponents by six runs
The Rays vs Red Sox game starts at 7:10 p.m. EDT on Thursday.
Griffin Jax will pitch for the Rays, and Jake Bennett will pitch for the Red Sox.
The Rays have a record of 24-12, while the Red Sox have a record of 16-21.

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Rays: 9-1, .247 batting average, 1.20 ERA, outscored opponents by 18 runs
INJURIES: Red Sox: Roman Anthony: day-to-day (wrist), Danny Coulombe: 15-Day IL (cervical spasms), Patrick Sandoval: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ranger Suarez: day-to-day (hamstring), Justin Slaten: 15-Day IL (oblique), Garrett Crochet: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Kutter Crawford: 15-Day IL (wrist), Triston Casas: 60-Day IL (knee), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow), Romy Gonzalez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Tanner Houck: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Rays: Steven Matz: 15-Day IL (elbow), Gavin Lux: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Ryan Pepiot: 60-Day IL (hip), Joe Boyle: 15-Day IL (elbow), Edwin Uceta: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Steven Wilson: 60-Day IL (back), Manuel Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Mason Englert: 15-Day IL (forearm), Michael Grove: 60-Day IL (shoulder)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.