(Photo credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images)

Following a sluggish start to their season, the Boston Red Sox will enter Sunday's rubber game with the visiting Tampa Bay Rays seeking their fifth victory in their last six games.Although Boston is battling with Baltimore to stay out of the American League East cellar, the Red Sox have surrendered three runs or fewer in nine of their last 13 games. Boston's pitching staff has a 2.79 ERA during that 13-game span, and the bullpen got a little stronger Saturday.Before Saturday's game against Tampa Bay was postponed by rain, the Red Sox announced that reliever Justin Slaten was activated from the injured list after missing more than a month with an oblique strain. Slaten has a 0.00 ERA with five strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings during four appearances this season.'Another back-end piece that can just lengthen the bullpen out, so it's big to have him back,' Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Saturday. 'I think everybody knows when Slaten's healthy and in there, between him, (setup man Garrett) Whitlock and (closer Aroldis Chapman) we're going to rely on those guys at the back end of the bullpen, right? It's like adding an extra guy into a lineup.'So having that, especially on a day where you look up and all three of them are available, you shorten the game - or you feel like you can. Doesn't mean they're invincible, but you feel like you can make it really, really difficult on a team for the last nine outs.'Slaten had a 4.24 ERA in 36 appearances during an injury-plagued 2025 season, but posted a 2.93 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings in 2024, his rookie season.The Rays and Red Sox split the first two games of what was shortened to a three-game series. Saturday's postponed game will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on July 17.Pitching hasn't been an issue for Tampa Bay this season, either. The Rays have gone a franchise-record 15 consecutive games without allowing more than three earned runs. Friday night's 2-0 loss to Boston ended the team's seven-game winning streak and was Tampa Bay's second loss in its last 15 games.Mason Englert was activated from the injured list Friday and pitched the final 3 1/3 innings of Friday's loss without allowing a run, but was sent to Triple-A Durham on Saturday.'Mason did one heck of a job for us,' Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. 'It was unique coming off the IL in that circumstance. His efficiency and strike-throwing allowed him (to go that long) and freshen up the rest of the guys in the bullpen.'Cash said Saturday's postponed game won't alter the team's rotation, which means right-hander Nick Martinez (3-1, 1.71 ERA) will start Sunday, and Drew Rasmussen, who was originally scheduled to pitch Sunday, will start Monday's game in Toronto.Martinez has won his last three starts, giving up two runs in 20 innings. Martinez is 1-3 with a 5.80 ERA in nine career appearances (five starts) against the Red Sox.Boston will counter with lefty Payton Tolle (1-1, 2.04). Like Martinez, Tolle was scheduled to pitch Saturday.It will be Tolle's first career start against Tampa Bay but he did allow a run on two hits in one inning during a relief appearance against the Rays last September.Sunday's start will come just over two years after Tolle's mother, Jina, died following an eight-year battle with colon cancer.

--Field Level Media