ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Their teams are in decidedly different places, with the Boston Red Sox coming off a second straight American League East title and the Tampa Bay Rays wondering if they can field a .500 team in 2018.
But Chris Sale and Chris Archer will go head-to-head Thursday afternoon on Opening Day, two of the AL's top three strikeout pitchers opening another year's division rivalry.
Their histories against the other team are also at opposite extremes -- Sale went 4-1 against the Rays last season, with a 2.