Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox Prediction: Can Kutter Crawford Sit Down Yandy Diaz and the Rays?

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox Prediction: Can Kutter Crawford Sit Down Yandy Diaz and the Rays?

There's a small town in Florida called Okeechobee. If I had to guess, I'd say less than 6,000 people live there. There are probably more alligators in Lake Okeechobee than there are people in the town. In fairness, Lake Okeechobee is a big lake, so there is that, but I think you get the point. I'm trying to say that the odds of an MLB player coming from Okeechobee are pretty slim. Really slim, really. Honestly, I think only one person has ever done it. We're talking about a ridiculous feat here. But one man beat those odds. Smashed them really. And as a general rule, anytime I see a guy who has a sweet name and who has also beat insane odds to get to the major leagues, I bet on him. This is basically a system play for today's MLB slate.

Rays vs. Red Sox Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds

• Date: July 14, 2022
• Game Time: 7:10 pm ET
• Where to Watch: MLB.TV

Click Here for Rays vs Red Sox Odds

Rays vs. Red Sox Line Movement

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox Prediction

Kutter Crawford Over 4.5 Strikeouts (-150)  (Bet $150 to Win $100)

*Odds Available at DraftKings*

We're at DraftKings here because they've got the best price. If we're being honest, the price sucks. Nobody in their right mind likes playing -150 moves. It's kind of dumb, but we're talking about a guy named Kutter here from Okeechobee. Our hands are tied. At least DraftKings is better than BetMGM on this one. They want -155. FanDuel is even worse with -160. We may as well just go 6+ (+138) if we're playing there.

Obviously, Kutter Crawford is an all-time name for an MLB pitcher. I don't have to tell you that since you have a functioning brain. What's even cooler about this guy is the fact that he can pitch. The kid was a 12+ K/9 in 48 AAA innings back in 2021. So far in the majors, he's a 40 strikeout in 32 innings guy over his first two years. I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but we could be looking at a Circle of Trust guy here people. Not saying it's going to happen, but it could, which would be a tremendous honor for Kutter, his family, and basically all of Okeechobee.

The thing with Kutter is he's only started three games this season. But in those three starts, he's fanned at least six guys in two of the three. The only time he didn't was when he could only sit down three St. Louis Cardinals. Obviously, that start doesn't even count since nobody targets the Cardinals for strikeouts. Why would they? Even though he's fanning people, I think the best thing Kutter has going for him is the fact that he's been allowed to approach 90 pitches in his three starts. You can't strike people out if you're not throwing pitches. That's called science people.

Tonight Kutter will be back in his home state doing what he does best, which is striking people out. He'll get a familiar foe in the Tampa Bay Rays, who he has already seen twice this season. He hasn't started against them, but he has fanned five in both appearances. In one game, it only took him 41 pitches to sit five Rays down. That's insane. He's getting Tampa at the exact right time, too, since only three teams have struck out more than they have over the last two weeks. This just feels right.

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