Free MLB Picks - Red Sox at Rays MLB Odds: With the Yankees cruising toward an American League East title in the final month of the regular season, the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, along with the Texas Rangers will battle it out for the AL Wild Card slot. The Rays will host the Red Sox for a three game set beginning Tuesday at Tropicana Field. Getting the start for the Rays is righthander Andy Sonnanstine. The Rays righthander has struggled when in the rotation going 6-7 with a 6.61 ERA. Countering for Boston is Jon Lester. The Red Sox lefthander is 10-7 with a 3.60 ERA.

Sportsbetting.com lists the Red Sox as -154 moneyline favorites with a 9-run total. Rays backers are getting +144 moneyline odds.

Unbeaten in his past seven starts, Lester yielded three runs on four hits over 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the White Sox on Tuesday at Fenway Park. The 25-year-old southpaw has posted a quality start in each of his past five outings, allowing three earned runs or fewer in 15 of his previous 16 appearances dating back to May 31.

Sonnanstine began the season in the Rays' rotation before getting optioned to Durham on June 27. He has pitched well at Durham, where he is 5-3 with a 4.40 ERA in nine starts. He is 2-1 with a 5.08 ERA in seven career starts against the Red Sox; he is 13-9 with a 5.06 ERA in 31 career starts at Tropicana Field.

The Red Sox defeated Toronto 7-0 as a +120 underdog on Sunday. The seven runs scored fell UNDER the posted over/under total (9). Paul Byrd pitched six shutout innings, allowing only three hits for Boston, while Kevin Youkilis was 2-3 with three RBI in the win.

Carlos Pena was 3-for-5 with a two-run homer and four runs batted in to lead the Rays past the Tigers 11-7 on Monday. Tampa Bay cashed as +105 road underdogs, while the teams played OVER the 8.5-run total listed by oddsmakers.

Free MLB Picks: Lester should be tough to beat. Take the Sox -154 moneyline.