The Chicago Cubs (33-35) travel to face off against the Tampa Bay Rays (32-36) on Thursday, June 13th. This game will be played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg and televised on MARQ. The Cubs are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Rays are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Cubs. First pitch is set for 5:50 CT.
Cubs vs Rays
Chicago rallied for three runs in the 7th inning in the most recent game of this Cubs vs. Rays series. The Cubs scored one run in the 4th inning but didn’t score another run until putting up three in the top of the 7th, picking up a 4-3 win. Heading into the game, the Cubs were at -105 on the money line.
Tampa Bay wasted a good outing from Aaron Civale, as he gave up just one run in 5 2/3 innings of work for the Rays. Garrett Cleavinger took the loss. Hector Neris got the save for the Cubs out of the bullpen as Tyson Miller got the win.
Javier Assad only went 4 2/3 innings for the Cubs but gave up just two earned runs. He finished with four strikeouts but issued two walks. On the other side, Jose Siri went 2/4 with a home run for the Rays.
With an overall record of 33-35, the Cubs are 4th in the NL Central, and they trail the Brewers by seven games for the division lead. So far, they have really struggled against other NL Central teams, going 8-15 in divisional matchups. Chicago will be looking to get back above .500 today, and they are currently 15-22 on the road compared to 18-13 at home.
Chicago has won three straight games as the favorite, and they are 16-13 overall when favored this year. As for their record as the underdog, they are 17-22. The Cubs’ overall series record is 8-11-2, and they are 5-5 in their last 10 games overall.
When betting on the Cubs this season, the run line has been a good play, as they are 34-34 overall. However, they have been better on the road, where they are 22-15 against the run line. The Cubs have been a better bet as the underdog, going 26-13 against the run line, compared to 8-21 as the favorite. Their average run margin in winning games is +2.9, while it is -3.2 in losing games.
The Cubs are on the road today against the Rays, and the O/U line is set at 7.5. The combined run average in Cubs games this season is 8.8, and their O/U record is 30-35. When the O/U line is set at 7.5, the Cubs’ record is 8-8. Overall, 63.2% of their games this season have had O/U lines set higher than 7.5, and their current under streak is at 5 games.
Justin Steele Gets The Start For The Cubs
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. Opponents are batting .227 off Steele this season, and he has a WHIP of 1.15. Steele’s most recent outing came against the Reds, where he took the loss, giving up one earned run in seven innings of work. Before that, he had turned in two straight quality starts. So far, he has two quality starts this season.
Cubs Offense Breakdown
So far this season, the Cubs are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 17th in the league. At home, they have been slightly better, averaging 4.4 runs per game. As a team, the Cubs are batting just .230, and their team on-base percentage of .311 is 12th in the league. Chicago’s offense has been led by Christopher Morel, who is 12th in the league with 40 RBIs and has 13 homers, which is the best mark on the team.
Over his last eight games, Morel is hitting .300 with three homers and eight runs scored. Cody Bellinger is also swinging a hot bat right now, as he is on a four-game hitting streak and is batting .267 for the season. Bellinger has nine homers and 32 RBIs, which is 2nd on the team.
Tampa Bay is 5th in the AL East, trailing the Yankees by 16 games for the division lead. Overall, the Rays are 32-36 and are 10-17 against other teams in the AL East. They have gone 4-6 over their last 10 games and are currently tied with the Blue Jays in the division.
The Rays will take on the Cubs at home today, and they are 18-23 at home this year. On the road, Tampa Bay is 14-13. So far, they have dropped four straight games as the underdog, and they are 11-16 as the underdog overall. As for their record as the favorite, the Rays are 21-20. They have an overall series record of 9-10-2 this year.
When betting on the run line, the Rays have been a better bet on the road this season, going 15-12 compared to 12-29 at home. They have also been a better bet as the underdog, going 13-14 compared to 14-27 as the favorite. Their average run margin is -0.9 runs per game, and they have covered the run line in four straight games.
The Tampa Bay Rays are playing at home against the Chicago Cubs today, with an over/under line of 7.5 runs. The combined run average for their games this season is 8.7 runs per game, and their over/under record for the season is 34-32. When the over/under line is set at 7.5 runs, their record is 12-6.
Taj Bradley Gets The Start For The Rays
Taj Bradley gets the start for the Rays today and will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Orioles. In that June 8th start, he took the loss, going 5 innings and giving up 1 earned run. Looking back further, Bradley has given up at least 5 earned runs in three of his last four starts. His ERA for the season is 5.17, along with a record of 1-4. Opposing batters are hitting .231 off Bradley this season. Per nine innings, he is averaging 11.2 strikeouts and 2.87 walks.
Rays Offense Breakdown
Heading into today’s game, the Rays are 27th in the league in scoring, averaging just 3.9 runs per game. They haven’t been much better at home, averaging just 3.7 runs per game. As a team, the Rays are batting just .232, which is 17th in the league, and their team slugging percentage of .353 is 24th in the MLB.
Isaac Paredes has been a bright spot for the Rays this season, as he is batting .291 with a team-high 10 homers and 38 RBIs. Yandy Diaz is on a six-game hitting streak and is batting .326 over his last 10 games. During this stretch, he has 14 hits.
Cubs vs Rays Prediction
Looking at today’s Cubs vs. Rays matchup, we see the Cubs coming out on top by a score of 5-4. Given that they are on the road, you can get the Cubs on the money line at -117, and this is our recommended bet.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Justin Steele is projected to finish with six strikeouts, and he has a good chance of picking up the win. As for Taj Bradley, he is projected to finish with six strikeouts as well, and we have him finishing 10th in terms of K’s among starters.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
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Last updated:June 13, 2024 Cubs, Rays