Red Sox vs. Rays Wednesday MLB injury report, odds: Xander Bogaerts among 7 Boston players out due to COVID; Tampa Bay on historic run against AL East

As if we need a sports-related reminder that COVID is still raging in this country, the Boston Red Sox will be without at least seven players, including All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts, for Wednesday's game at the scorching-hot Tampa Bay Rays due to positive COVID results or close contact protocols. The team reportedly will wear masks in the dugout due to the outbreak. Boston had opened as a solid favorite behind ace Chris Sale but is now an underdog at Caesars Sportsbook.

Bogaerts was pulled in the second inning of Tuesday's game when his COVID test results came back positive. Bogaerts hit an RBI single in the top of the first inning, but the Sox collapsed without him and lost 8-5, their third straight defeat. Bogaerts leads the team in average (.298), on-base percentage (.366) and has 20 homers and 70 RBIs. Jonathan Arauz likely will start at shortstop going forward.

Also out due to either a positive test or protocols are relievers Matt Barnes (closer), Hirokazu Sawamura, Martin Perez and Josh Taylor, infielder/outfielder Kike Hernandez and infielder Christian Arroyo. It's obviously possible that more could be added at some point today as close contacts to Bogaerts. The Sox (75-59) hold a one-game lead over the Oakland A's for the AL's final wild-card spot.

Sale (3-0, 2.35) makes his fourth start of the year since returning from Tommy John surgery, and the lefty has been terrific with a 1.04 WHIP and 21 strikeouts in 15.1 innings. Sale threw his third career immaculate inning last time out (nine pitches, all strikeouts), joining Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers to ever throw three.

The AL East race is over as Tampa Bay (84-48) has taken an eight-game division lead (largest in franchise history) in a nine-game winning streak. The Rays won 21 games in August and became the first team since the 2002 "Moneyball" Oakland A's to have two calendar months with at least 21 wins in the same season as Tampa won 22 games in May.

The Rays have stunningly won 18 of their past 19 games against the AL East. They are the third team in the divisional era (1969) to go 18-1 in a 19-game stretch against their division and first since the 2005 White Sox, who won the World Series. Tampa Bay is still just a +900 fifth-favorite, though, to win its first World Series.

The Rays start converted reliever Drew Rasmussen, who is 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA in 15 games and five starts with Tampa Bay since coming over earlier this year in trade from Milwaukee. He is 0-0 with a 2.70 ERA in 6.2 innings over three appearances this year vs. Boston.

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