Chicago Cubs vs Tampa Bay Rays Betting Picks & Predictions
The Chicago Cubs will be looking to improve their position in the NL Central standings as they take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the first game of their three-game interleague
Game outlook
The Chicago Cubs will be looking to improve their position in the NL Central standings as they take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the first game of their three-game interleague series. The game will be held at Tropicana Field and is set to start at 6:50 PM ET. Cubs' Jameson Taillon with a 3-2 record and 3.47 ERA will be on the mound, while the Rays will have Zach Eflin starting, who is 3-4 with a 4.14 ERA. The two teams have split their last 10 meetings. According to the current line, Tampa Bay is favored to win with an opening line of -130 now at -137. Please note that this preview was written prior to Monday's game.
Betting Odds
Moneyline: Cubs +126 | Rays -137
Spread: Cubs +1.5 (-173) | Rays -1.5 (+155)
Total: Over/Under 7.5 (-110)
Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Tampa Bay will win straight-up is 58%.
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs recently ended a three-game losing streak with a win over the Cincinnati Reds, avoiding a sweep by their rivals. The team is currently tied for second in the NL Central standings, trailing the Milwaukee Brewers by 6.5 games. Chicago will look to continue their winning streak with a game on Tuesday. The team's offense ranks 17th in the league, averaging 4.30 runs per game with a .229 batting average. Mike Tauchman leads the Cubs with a .261 batting average, 12 home runs, and 39 RBI. On the pitching side, Chicago is giving up an average of 3.88 runs per game, with opponents hitting .241 against them. In their last game, pitcher Taillon gave up 10 hits and five runs in five innings. The team will need a better effort from him in the upcoming game. Nico Hoerner is questionable for the next game due to a hand injury. Overall, Chicago has a power ranking of 24 and is ranked 20 in defense, allowing an average of 4.52 points per game against them. The Cubs currently have a record of 89-73 this season.