Chicago Cubs at Tampa Bay Rays, MLB forecast
Win probability
Starts from the pregame forecast, then moves with the score and the time left after each inning. Above the line favors TB.
Game center
From the ESPN box score.
Top performers
Cubs- Cody BellingerBatting1-4
- Justin SteelePitching6.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 K
Rays- Yandy DiazBatting2-4, 1 RBI
- Taj BradleyPitching7.0 IP, 0 ER, 11 K
Scoring summary
- 7Díaz singled to center, J. Lowe scored.2–3
- 7Pitch 3 : Ball In Play2–3
- 7Pitch 2 : Ball 12–2
- 7Pitch 1 : Strike 1 Looking2–2
- 7Rortvedt grounded out to second, Siri scored, J. Lowe to third.2–2
- 7Pitch 4 : Ball In Play2–2
- 7Pitch 3 : Ball 22–1
- 7Pitch 2 : Strike 1 Looking2–1
- 7Pitch 1 : Ball 12–1
- 7J. Lowe singled to left, Rosario scored, Siri to third.2–1
- 7Pitch 5 : Ball In Play2–1
- 7Pitch 4 : Strike 2 Looking2–0
- 7Pitch 3 : Ball 22–0
- 7Pitch 2 : Ball 12–0
- 7Pitch 1 : Strike 1 Looking2–0
- 5Gomes sacrificed to catcher, Hoerner scored, Crow-Armstrong to third.2–0
- 5Crow-Armstrong grounded into fielder's choice to third, Busch scored on error by catcher Jackson, Hoerner safe at third on error.1–0
- 5Pitch 1 : Ball In Play1–0
The pick
Reconstructed from what was known before the game: the ratings at that point and the closing line.
Rays 50%
Forecast Elo ratings alone
How often that comes true: MLB favorites the forecast gave 50–55% have won 52.7% of 2,871 graded games.
- Market
- TB 50%
- ML CHC -110 / TB -110
- Pre-line forecast
- TB 52%
- Elo + market-implied
- Elo ratings
- TB 53%
- Ratings vs. market
- +3.0 pts
- TB: Elo 53.0%, market 50.0%
- Fair odds
- TB -100
- CHC -100 · the forecast as odds, no margin
- Pregame projection
- CHC 3.8 – 3.8 TB
- Margin from the forecast, posted total 7.5
How the number is built
Elo inputs in rating points (higher favors that team; 25–28 Elo is about a point of spread in football and basketball), then how the pieces combine.
| Factor | CHC | TB | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team rating | 1504 | 1498 | Elo entering the game; 1500 is league average |
| Home field | — | +18 | Worth 18 Elo in MLB |
| Starting pitchers | −13 | −5 | CHC: Justin Steele: team allows 0.66 more runs than with its usual starter (≈10 weighted starts) · TB: Taj Bradley: team allows 0.23 more runs than with its usual starter (≈9 weighted starts) |
| Elo ratings | TB +21 Elo | TB 53.0% | |
| Market-implied ratings | TB 51.4% | Team strength as past closing lines priced it, same game context | |
| Pre-line forecast | TB 51.7% | 15% Elo, 85% market-implied (log-odds blend) | |
| Forecast | TB 50.0% | Follows the market (vig removed): in testing, adding the ratings made it less accurate | |
Tale of the tape
This season coming into the game, regular season, each number with its league rank (the longer the bar, the higher). Home and road: the host's record at home against the visitor's on the road.
| CHC | Stat | TB |
|---|---|---|
| 17th of 304.3 | Runs scored | 3.927th of 30 |
| 21st of 304.5 | Runs allowed | 4.824th of 30 |
| 18th of 30−0.2 | Margin | −0.926th of 30 |
| 10th of 305–5 | Last 10 | 4–624th of 30 |
| 25th of 3015–22 | Road vs home | 18–2324th of 30 |
Rating history
Each team's Elo over the last two seasons. Hover or drag to compare on any date.
Recent form
Last five results, and whether the forecast hit.
Against the line
How each team has done against the closing spread and total, coming into this game.
| This season |  CHC |  TB |
|---|---|---|
| Run line | 34–34 | 27–41 |
| Last 10 | 5–5 | 4–6 |
| Favorite | 8–20 | 15–27 |
| Underdog | 26–14 | 12–14 |
| Overs–unders | 31–36–1 | 35–33 |
| Overs–unders, last 10 | 4–6 | 6–4 |
Against each game's closing line. Books set every line knowing these records: across 3,901 past games, the team with the better record against the spread so far that season covered 51.2%, short of the 52.4% a standard −110 bet needs, and over/under streaks held 48.0% of the time. They describe the past.
Head to head
CHC 3–2 TB in their last 5 meetings; the forecast called 2 of 5.