Boston opens 3-game series at home against Rays

Tampa Bay Rays (16-9, first in the AL East) vs. Boston Red Sox (11-15, fourth in the AL East)

Boston; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Charlie Morton (2-0, 3.38 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 34 strikeouts) Red Sox: TBD

BOTTOM LINE: Boston and Tampa Bay match up to begin the three-game series.

The Red Sox are 6-5 against the rest of their division. The Boston pitching staff has a team ERA of 5.48, Eduardo Rodriguez paces the staff with a mark of 5.89.

The Rays are 4-5 against division opponents. The Tampa Bay offense has compiled a .262 batting average as a team this season, good for seventh in the American League. Tommy Pham leads the team with a mark of .304. This is the first meeting of the season for these two teams.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mitch Moreland leads the Red Sox with seven home runs and is batting .231. Andrew Benintendi is 13-for-35 with five doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs over the last 10 games for Boston.

Yandy Diaz leads the Rays with six home runs and has 13 RBIs. Mike Zunino is 12-for-33 with five doubles, a triple, two home runs and 10 RBIs over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.

LAST 10 GAMES: Red Sox: 5-5, .235 batting average, 4.90 ERA, outscored by seven runs

Rays: 5-5, .255 batting average, 4.12 ERA, outscored opponents by six runs

Red Sox Injuries: Brian Johnson: 10-day IL (elbow), Nathan Eovaldi: 10-day IL (elbow), Dustin Pedroia: 10-day IL (knee), Eduardo Nunez: 10-day IL (back), Brock Holt: 10-day IL (eye).

Rays Injuries: Jose De Leon: 60-day IL (elbow), Anthony Banda: 60-day IL (elbow), Austin Meadows: 10-day IL (thumb), Joey Wendle: 10-day IL (wrist), Matt Duffy: 10-day IL (back).