Thursday's interleague matchup between the Cubs and Rays is set to get started at 6:50 PM ET from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. The Cubs are the slight favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -117 compared to the Rays at -102. The over/under line is currently 7.5 runs.
Justin Steele will be on the mound for the Cubs, and he will be facing off against Taj Bradley and the Rays. The Cubs are 4th in the NL Central, while the Rays are 5th in the AL East.
Chicago vs. Tampa Bay Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Cubs at Rays
- Where: Tropicana Field St. Petersburg
- Date: Thursday, June 13th
- Betting Odds CHC -117 | TB -102 O/U 7.5
Cubs vs Rays Last Game Recap
Chicago picked up a 4-3 road win over the Rays in the most recent game of this series. The Cubs had a three-run 7th inning and scored the game's go-ahead run in the 9th. As for the Rays, they scored one run in the 3rd and added their final two runs in the 5th.
Javier Assad got the start for the Cubs, going just 4 2/3 innings while giving up two runs and striking out four. Tyson Miller came out of the bullpen for the win, and Hector Neris got the save. Garrett Cleavinger took the loss for Tampa Bay out of the bullpen.
At the plate, Chicago was led by Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki, as they were the only two Cubs hitters to have more than one hit. Bellinger, Jose Siri, and Jose Caballero each homered for their respective teams.
Cubs Preview
Chicago is 33-35 overall and 4th in the NL Central, seven games behind the Brewers. The Cubs are on a three-game winning streak as favorites, with a 16-13 record in that role. Their overall run line record is 34-34, and their games have averaged 8.8 runs per game this season.
When the Cubs lose, they lose by an average of -3.2 runs per game, but when they win, they win by an average of +2.9 runs per game. So far, their series record is 8-11-2, and they will be looking to bounce back after dropping the most recent game vs. the Rays.
Left-hander Justin Steele gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the Rays on the road. He has made eight starts this season and has a record of 0-3 with an ERA of 3.65. Steele's WHIP for the season is currently 1.15. In his last outing, he took the loss, giving up one earned run in seven innings of work. Before that, he had turned in two straight quality starts. Steele has a BB/9 figure of 2.44 compared to 8.73 strikeouts per nine innings.
Christopher Morel has been the Cubs' most consistent power threat this season, as he is 8th in the league with 13 homers and is batting .209. However, he has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 9/30 in his last eight games, with three homers and five RBIs. Cody Bellinger is also on a good stretch of play, coming in with a four-game hitting streak.
As a team, the Cubs are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 17th in the league. They have been a better offensive team at home, averaging 4.4 runs per game. Overall, they are batting just .230 and are 15th in home runs. Chicago's team on-base percentage of .311 is 12th in the league.
Rays Preview
When playing at home, the Rays' games have averaged 8.7 runs per game this season, with a 34-32 over/under record. The over/under line for today's game is set at 7.5 runs, and their record in games with that line is 12-6. Overall, 69.1% of their games have had higher total lines than today's 7.5 runs.
Tampa Bay is 32-36 overall and has lost four straight games as the underdog. Their straight-up record as the favorite is 21-20, but they are 14-27 against the run line as the favorite. Overall, their run line record is 27-41, with a 12-29 record at home and 15-12 on the road.
Taj Bradley gets the start for the Rays today and will be looking to rebound from a rough outing vs. the Orioles. In that June 8th start, he took the loss, going 5 innings and giving up one earned run. Looking back at his last three starts, Bradley has given up at least one homer in each outing. His record for the season is 1-4, and his ERA is 5.17. Opponents are batting .231 off Bradley this year. Per nine innings, he is averaging 11.2 strikeouts and 2.87 walks.
Isaac Paredes has been a great surprise for the Rays this season, as he is batting .291 and leads the team with 10 home runs and 38 RBIs. He is also on a three-game hitting streak. Yandy Diaz has also been swinging the bat well of late, going 14/43 in his last 10 games. For the season, Diaz is batting .257 and is 2nd on the team with 29 RBIs.
As a team, the Rays are averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is 27th in the MLB. They are also near the bottom of the league in home runs and team slugging percentage. Tampa Bay's team on-base percentage is also just 17th in the league. Over their last 10 games, the Rays are batting .232.
Cubs vs. Rays Prediction: Cubs ML -117
Our predicted final score for this Cubs and Rays matchup is 5-4 in favor of the Cubs. With the Cubs on the money line at -117, we see this as a great value pick. The Cubs are also our predicted team to have the most home runs in the league today, and they are projected to have nine strikeouts.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Justin Steele is predicted to have a solid outing, finishing with six strikeouts and giving up four hits. As for Rays starter Taj Bradley, he is projected to finish with six strikeouts and give up four runs.
