Chicago wraps up the first week of April on the road again, and Tuesday, April 7, 2026 sets up as a contrast in styles as the Cubs hand the ball to Javier Assad against Drew Rasmussen and a Rays lineup that’s been the steadier early-season offense. Tampa Bay sits as the home favorite at -136 with Chicago at +116, and while the Rays are also priced to cover -1.5 at plus money, the 7.5 total reflects a market expecting Rasmussen to keep this controlled.
Chicago Cubs vs Tampa Bay Rays Game Info
| Matchup | Chicago Cubs @ Tampa Bay Rays |
| Date | April 07, 2026 |
| Time | 06:41PM ET |
| Location | Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg, FL) |
| How to Watch | Rays.TV (in-market), Marquee Sports Network (Cubs market), MLB.TV (out-of-market) |
Chicago Cubs vs Tampa Bay Rays Odds
| Market | Chicago Cubs | Tampa Bay Rays |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | +116 | -136 |
| Run Line | +1.5 (-196) | -1.5 (+162) |
| Total (7.5) | Over 7.5 (-112) | Under 7.5 (-108) |
Chicago Cubs vs Tampa Bay Rays Team Stats
| Stat (2026) | Chicago Cubs | Tampa Bay Rays |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 4-6 | 5-5 |
| Runs per game | 4.1 | 5.1 |
| Batting average | .199 | .266 |
| On-base percentage | .297 | .338 |
| Slugging percentage | .331 | .412 |
| Home runs | 10 | 11 |
| Stolen bases | 9 | 10 |
| ERA | 3.72 | 4.64 |
| WHIP | 1.16 | 1.11 |
Chicago Cubs vs Tampa Bay Rays Starting Pitcher Stats
| Pitcher | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Javier Assad (CHC) | 0-0, 0.00 ERA | 4-1, 3.65 ERA (37.0 IP, 23 K, 1.22 WHIP) |
| Drew Rasmussen (TB) | 0-0, 1.80 ERA (10.0 IP, 10 K, 1 BB, 0.70 WHIP) | 10-5, 2.76 ERA (150.0 IP, 127 K, 37 BB, 1.02 WHIP) |
Chicago Cubs vs Tampa Bay Rays Recent Form and Pitching Notes
Chicago Cubs (4-6) enter Tuesday looking for cleaner offensive innings after Monday’s 6-4 loss in St. Petersburg. Jameson Taillon gave them a workable start (6.0 IP, 4 R, 3 ER), but the game turned in the seventh when Phil Maton allowed a two-run homer that stretched the margin.
Offensively, Chicago did most of its damage in a short burst: Nico Hoerner’s two-run single in the second inning, then a late solo shot from Matt Shaw in the ninth. The Cubs’ bullpen workload was relatively light overall, with Maton (1.0 IP) and rookie Riley Martin (1.0 scoreless) handling the late frames.
Tampa Bay Rays (5-5) kept their momentum rolling with that same 6-4 win, powered by three homers and just enough bullpen execution to protect it. Shane McClanahan’s line shows the rust that can come with shorter builds early in the season (4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 BB), but the Rays pieced the rest together with four relievers.
The key swing came in the seventh: Jonathan Aranda’s two-run homer. Junior Caminero and Cedric Mullins also went deep, giving Tampa Bay a familiar blueprint at home extra-base damage, then leverage relief to shorten the game (Kevin Kelly, Ian Seymour, Hunter Bigge, and Bryan Baker combined to finish it).
On paper, Rasmussen is the steadier known quantity in this matchup right now. He’s already logged two starts (10.0 IP total) with strong efficiency indicators (1 walk, 10 strikeouts), while Assad’s early-season profile is tougher to pin down because he hasn’t posted a 2026 game log yet.
Chicago Cubs vs Tampa Bay Rays Betting Trends
- Tampa Bay Rays have won 6 straight games when facing an NL team under .500 and listed as the favorite.
- Chicago Cubs have dropped the run line in 7 straight road games.
- Tampa Bay Rays games have gone over the total in 6 straight vs the NL when favored.
- Chicago Cubs are 1-3 on the road this season.
- Tampa Bay Rays have won 3 straight games.
- The Over is 3-2-1 in the last six Cubs-Rays meetings (since June 2024).
Chicago Cubs vs Tampa Bay Rays Breakdown
This price range largely makes sense: Tampa Bay has been the more reliable offense early (better contact rates and on-base ability), and Rasmussen gives them a starting point that tends to reduce the “one bad inning” risk that flips low totals. The Cubs, meanwhile, have been operating with thinner margins—fewer consistent baserunners, and more dependence on isolated swings to score.
The most important in-game lever is how long Chicago can reasonably ride Assad. If he’s efficient and gets into the middle innings, the Cubs can keep the game in a low-scoring lane and let their bullpen match up. If he’s limited early or Tampa Bay forces traffic, the Rays’ approach pressure with contact, then let the big inning arrive plays well against a Cubs offense that hasn’t been built to win shootouts.
From a betting perspective, the run line is tempting at plus money, but this shapes up more like a “Rays edge in a close game” profile than a must-lay-multiple-runs spot especially with Chicago’s bullpen coming off a lighter Monday than Tampa Bay’s.
Chicago Cubs vs Tampa Bay Rays Best Bet
Tampa Bay Rays Moneyline -136 (2 out of 5 units)
Rasmussen’s early command and strike-throwing give Tampa Bay a cleaner path to six competitive innings, and the Rays’ lineup is in a better place to manufacture offense even if the game doesn’t turn into a home run derby. With Chicago’s bats still searching for consistent on-base pressure, backing the more stable starter and the more productive offense at a moderate stake is the most straightforward angle.
Predicted Score
Our computer projections model for this matchup predicts a final score of Chicago Cubs 3, Tampa Bay Rays 4.