Tampa Bay Rays at St. Louis Cardinals, 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 STL.
Game center
From the ESPN box score.
Top performers
Rays- Brandon LoweBatting1-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI
- Jeffrey SpringsPitching5.0 IP, 4 ER, 3 K
Cardinals- Tommy PhamBatting2-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI
- Sonny GrayPitching7.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 K
Scoring summary
- 9DeLuca singled to left, J. Lowe scored, Siri to second.3–4
- 9Pitch 2 : Ball In Play3–4
- 9Pitch 1 : Strike 1 Looking3–4
- 2Pham homered to left center (383 feet), Winn scored.2–4
- 2Pitch 1 : Ball In Play2–4
- 2Scott II homered to right center (391 feet), Pagés scored.2–2
- 2Pitch 4 : Ball In Play2–2
- 2Pitch 3 : Ball 22–2
- 2Pitch 2 : Ball 12–2
- 2Pitch 1 : Strike 1 Foul2–2
- 1B. Lowe homered to right (423 feet), Díaz scored.2–0
- 1Pitch 5 : Ball In Play2–0
- 1Pitch 4 : Ball 22–0
- 1Pitch 3 : Strike 2 Swinging2–0
- 1Pitch 2 : Strike 1 Foul2–0
- 1Pitch 1 : Ball 12–0
The pick
Reconstructed from what was known before the game: the ratings at that point and the closing line.
Cardinals 57%
Forecast Elo ratings alone
How often that comes true: MLB favorites the forecast gave 55–60% have won 55.5% of 2,596 graded games.
- Market
- STL 57%
- ML TB +125 / STL -150
- Pre-line forecast
- STL 56%
- Elo + market-implied
- Elo ratings
- STL 43%
- Ratings vs. market
- −14.2 pts
- STL: Elo 43.3%, market 57.4%
- Fair odds
- STL -135
- TB +135 · the forecast as odds, no margin
- Pregame projection
- TB 3.4 – 4.1 STL
- 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 | TB | STL | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team rating | 1512 | 1479 | Elo entering the game; 1500 is league average |
| Home field | — | +18 | Worth 18 Elo in MLB |
| Starting pitchers | +24 | −8 | TB: Jeffrey Springs: team allows 1.21 fewer runs than with its usual starter (≈3 weighted starts) · STL: Sonny Gray: team allows 0.40 more runs than with its usual starter (≈10 weighted starts) |
| Elo ratings | TB +47 Elo | TB 56.7% | |
| Market-implied ratings | STL 58.2% | Team strength as past closing lines priced it, same game context | |
| Pre-line forecast | STL 56.0% | 15% Elo, 85% market-implied (log-odds blend) | |
| Forecast | STL 57.4% | 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.
| TB | Stat | STL |
|---|---|---|
| 27th of 304.0 | Runs scored | 4.123rd of 30 |
| 15th of 304.4 | Runs allowed | 4.621st of 30 |
| 22nd of 30−0.4 | Margin | −0.423rd of 30 |
| 6th of 306–4 | Last 10 | 4–619th of 30 |
| 11th of 3027–25 | Road vs home | 28–2616th 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 |  TB |  STL |
|---|---|---|
| Run line | 54–57 | 55–57 |
| Last 10 | 7–3 | 4–6 |
| Favorite | 22–36 | 17–35 |
| Underdog | 32–21 | 38–22 |
| Overs–unders | 54–57 | 55–55–2 |
| Overs–unders, last 10 | 4–6 | 7–3 |
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
TB 1–2 STL in their last 3 meetings; the forecast called 1 of 3.