Andrew Caley
• Senior Betting Analyst
14+ years betting experience
Updated:
Apr 8, 2026 , 01:54 PM ET
• 4 min read
Andrew Caley’s MLB predictions like the Rays hot bats do their thing against Colin Rea and a struggling Cubs bullpen.
Photo By – Reuters Connect. Junior Caminero celebrates a win for Tampa Bay.
The Chicago Cubs’ rotation has already been beaten up this season, which means they’re handing the ball to journeyman pitcher Colin Rea for his first start of the year in the rubber match of this series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Tampa counters with Joe Boyle, who is hoping to be the Rays’ latest reclamation pitching project.
My Cubs vs. Rays predictions and MLB picks break down this interleague matchup with the first pitch scheduled for 6:40 pm ET at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, April 8.
Who will win Cubs vs Rays today: Rays (-110)
The Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays enter this rubber match with matching 5-6 records, but I like the home team to improve its record tonight.
The Rays’ lineup, led by Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda, is off to a great start. Tampa Bay ranks sixth in OPS and fifth in wRC+ and gets a solid matchup against the Cubs’ Colin Rea.
The veteran right-hander has pitched to a 4.26 ERA in two relief appearances this season. And if Rea can’t go deep into the game, he hands the ball to a bullpen that ranks next-to-last in xERA.
COVERS INTEL: Current Rays hitters have combined for a .356 xAVG and a .609 xSLG vs. Rea.
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Cubs vs Rays Over/Under pick: Under 8 (-110)
Joe Boyle spent the better part of the last three seasons toiling away with the Athletics, but the Rays saw something in the 26-year-old right-hander, and the early results have been impressive.
Boyle has allowed four earned runs on eight hits while striking out 16 over his first two starts with Tampa.Â
The Cubs’ bats have been a little slow to get going, ranking 22nd in batting average and 16th in wRC+.
Even though I like the Rays to do some scoring, the Cubs won’t do enough to send this one Over the total.
Andrew Caley’s 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 3-2, +0.7 units
Over/Under bets: 3-2, +0.8 units
Cubs vs Rays odds
Moneyline: Cubs -110 | Rays -110
Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+155) | Rays +1.5 (-185)
Over/Under: Over 8.0 | Under 8.0
Cubs vs Rays trend
The Cubs have only covered the Run Line in 16 of their last 45 away games for -17.00 Units and a -30% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Rays.
How to watch Cubs vs Rays and game info
Location
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Date
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
Marquee, RAYS
Cubs starting pitcher
Colin Rea
(0-0, 4.26 ERA)
Rays starting pitcher
Joe Boyle
(0-0, 3.18 ERA)
Cubs vs Rays latest injuries
Cubs vs Rays weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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When his dreams of becoming the next Steve Nash died, all Andrew “Taco” Caley wanted to do was write about sports, something he’s been doing at Covers for more than a decade. A Journalism School grad from Holland College in Charlottetown, PEI, Andrew previously worked at The Chronicle Herald and Star Metro, but knew in his heart that his future lay in sports. He began at Covers as a news editor and has now done everything under the sun when it comes to content. His work has been seen on TSN, Sportsnet, VSiN, and CBS. These days Andrew’s betting expertise is focused on his favorite teams; the Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors. He’s also an avid college football fan and bettor. He can’t be friends with you if you don’t appreciate a Service Academy Under. The sportsbook where he does the bulk of his betting is bet365 thanks to its numerous prop betting options and competitive odds. His best advice? Find the balance between the numbers and what you see on the playing field. Then find the best price using multiple books. And don’t ask him where the nickname Taco comes from. It’s not an interesting story. Seriously.
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