Tampa Bay Rays vs Chi. Cubs Cubs Picks and Predictions June 13th 2024

Cubs Look to End Road Trip on High Note vs. Rays

The day after Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell was unhappy with his team’s weak offense, Cody Bellinger delivered a significant hit. The Cubs defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Wednesday with Bellinger’s seventh inning three-run homer giving them the lead. Chicago will try to emerge victorious in the three-game series as they face each other once more in the Thursday night conclusion at St. Petersburg, Fla.

For those interested in daily MLB picks, this game provides intriguing options given the pitching matchups and recent team performances

Bellinger’s Game-Changing Moment

Bellinger’s big blast put the Cubs ahead 4-2 as they evened the series and improved to 2-4 on their seven-game road trip. “Three-run homers change games,” Counsell said. “It was a big swing at a time when we needed it.”

Rays’ Missed Opportunity

The Rays, one day subsequent to energizing for a 5-2 triumph on Brandon Lowe’s stroll off homer against Cubs closer Hector Neris, were trusting history would rehash the same thing on Wednesday. In any case, Neris got Lowe on a flyout to focus with two on and two outs in the 10th to drop the Beams to 1-5 on their seven-game homestand.

“It was interesting how that inning unfolded from what took place last night,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “Brandon’s probably the right guy to have up there. It looked like a (splitter) that he just missed.”

Cash’s Take on Bellinger’s Home Run

Cash was not shocked by Bellinger’s game-winner. “I think that was the third cutter Bellinger had seen,” Cash said. “Cody Bellinger’s a really good hitter and makes adjustments within the at-bat. He went out and made sure he was going to catch that one out front, and he did.”

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Pitching Matchup: Justin Steele vs. Taj Bradley

The series finale will feature a matchup of pitchers needing a win. Chicago left-hander Justin Steele (0-3, 3.65 ERA) will be opposed by Tampa Bay right-hander Taj Bradley (1-4, 5.17 ERA), with both hurlers having had little success so far this season. In 14 combined starts, Steele and Bradley are 1-7 despite a combined 4.28 ERA, so their respective offenses may be at the forefront as the clubs meet for only the 22nd time. The Rays hold a 12-9 all-time series lead.
Justin Steele’s Performance

Steele has respectable numbers but hasn’t picked up a win this season. Over his past three starts, the southpaw is 0-1 but with a 0.95 ERA — thanks largely to the Cubs’ shoddy fielding. In two consecutive outings against the Cincinnati Reds this month, Steele has watched eight runs cross home plate, but only two were earned. Steele, 28, has made two career starts against the Rays, one in each of the previous two seasons. He owns an 0-1 record with a 6.35 ERA vs. Tampa Bay.

Taj Bradley’s Struggles

After giving up 23 homers last year during his rookie season in 23 games (21 starts), Bradley has surrendered eight long balls in six starts this season, an average of 2.3 per nine innings. Last season, he gave up 2.0 home runs per nine innings. In his only career start against the Cubs, on May 29, 2023, Bradley gave up one run, which was unearned, and three hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. He wound up taking a 1-0 loss.

Conclusion

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