Rays vs Cubs: Pitching Showdown

It's April 7.

I'm Corey with the story, and this is MLB News Today, your AI-powered baseball briefing.

Tampa Bay Rays host the Chicago Cubs tonight in St. Petersburg at 6.40pm Eastern.

Ray sit at five wins, five losses, with a one-nothing series lead.

Cubs are four and six.

On the mound, Javier Assad starts for Chicago, while Drew Rasmussen takes the hill for Tampa

Bay, sporting a 1.80 ERA 0.7.

Zero wippy and 10 strikeouts already.

Betting odds favor the Rays minus 137.

Cubs as plus 116 underdogs, total runs at seven and a half.

Last season, Cubs finished strong at 92 and 70, averaging 8.5 hits per game with a 249 team average.

Meanwhile, injuries are piling up for both squads.

Rays sideline pictures by Garrett Clevenger, Steven Wilson, and Ryan Peppiott, plus infielder Gavin

Luxe.

Cubs hurting too.

Missing Sayus Azuki, Justin Steele, and several arms like Matthew Boyd and Porter Hodge.

Rasmussen Luxe locked in early, giving Tampa Bay an edge after their one-nothing opener.

Cubs need Assad to step up against the Rays team that slugged 401 last year.

Series heats up with these pitching matchups, so catch the action and see if Chicago bounces

back or Tampa Bay bills that lead.