Jake Bennett's Second Start Comes Against a Rays Team That's Won 12 of 13 and Nobody's Stopping Them

The Boston Red Sox caught lightning in a bottle this week. Three straight wins, including a shutout of Detroit on Wednesday. New manager Chad Tracy is 6-4 since taking over. The momentum is real. But here's the problem: the Tampa Bay Rays are coming to Fenway, and they're playing the best baseball in baseball right now.

The Rays have won 12 of their last 13 games. Twelve. Of. Thirteen. They've swept the Giants and the Blue Jays back-to-back. Their five series sweeps this season are the most in all of MLB. And get this: they haven't allowed more than three runs in any game during this entire run. That's not sustainable baseball. That's dominance.

Bennett Gets the Ball, But Can He Match Jax's Momentum?

Chad Tracy is handing the ball to rookie left-hander Jake Bennett in only his second career start. Bennett earned a win in his debut against Houston, holding the Astros to a solo home run while stranding six of seven baserunners across five innings. That's the kind of stuff that gets Tracy excited. "There's comfort with that for me, for sure, because I know the kid," Tracy said. "I know him better than anybody here as far as watching him and what he's capable of doing."

On the other side, the Rays counter with Griffin Jax, a right-hander still new to his starting role. Jax looked rough early in relief, giving up 11 runs across 11 appearances to start the season. But since moving into the rotation, he's been sharp: five innings of shutout, two-hit ball over his last two starts. He's 1-2 with a 5.14 ERA overall, though he's 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA in his career against the Red Sox.

The Red Sox Are Built Different Right Now

Boston bounced back from a rough 1-4 stretch with three straight wins. The Tigers series was a statement: one-run win, 10-run blowout, then a 4-0 shutout. That shutout on Wednesday was Boston's fifth of the season, which ties for the most in baseball. Third baseman Caleb Durbin summed it up perfectly: "Just try to keep being as consistent as possible. As a lineup, we're working really hard, and we expect a lot of ourselves."

The Rays, meanwhile, are operating on a different level. Starter Shane McClanahan threw 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball against Toronto on Wednesday. Center fielder Jonny DeLuca has 10 RBIs and 10 runs since April 8. Manager Kevin Cash knows what his team is doing: "They're setting the bar really high for themselves, and they should all be feeling pretty good about how individually they're contributing."

Thursday night in Boston. Two teams riding high. Two inexperienced starters trying to keep it rolling. This is the matchup we're paying attention to.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.