The Cubs enter this series 28-17 vs. American League teams. That’s the most wins for any NL team over an AL team to date and among AL teams only the Blue Jays (30) and Astros (29) have more interleague wins. This series wraps the Cubs’ interleague schedule for 2025. They are 14-7 against AL teams at Wrigley Field entering this set against the Rays.
The Rays didn’t even have to change hotels for this series, as they just lost two of three to the White Sox on the South Side this week.
As you probably
know, Ashley MacLennan, who writes for BCB, also is a writer for our SB Nation Rays site DRays Bay. So I asked Ashley to update us on the Rays.
Don’t let the Rays’ AL East record convince you that this team isn’t a threat. In any other division in baseball, they’d be ranked much higher; they just have the disadvantage of being in the one division where seemingly every other team has more than 80 wins. They’re hovering near the .500 mark, but have had a decent run of wins lately. They are one of those teams that no one should ever count out, because one hot week could really shake things up for them. Are they a true postseason contender? It’s unlikely, given the stiff competition they face in the AL East, but they certainly aren’t going to roll over and admit defeat early. They’ve been both helped and hampered this season by playing in a minor league park (the long ball doesn’t care which team it’s going out for), and they will be over the moon to return to Tropicana Field next year, provided that repairs are completed in time for the 2026 season.
What should Cubs fans be mindful of in this coming series? In terms of pitching this series, one to watch will be Drew Rasmussen. They’ll want to be wary, as he is sneaky good, with a sub-1.000 WHIP and the highest WAR of any pitcher in the rotation. Shane Baz is more of a wild card, having had a rough season thus far. And then there’s Adrian Houser, who might be more familiar to a different Chicago team and is a newer addition for the Rays. He was a deadline acquisition and has been a reliable mid-tier starter. Where Chicago might benefit is from the spate of injuries the Rays have recently incurred. Jonathan Aranda and Talyor Walls are both on the IL, meaning the team is without their starting first baseman (though the Bob Seymour fan club will tell you this could be worse). Walls, while more of a utility guy, has been decently productive in his on-field time, and the Rays are a club that likes a lot of depth on their bench. For the healthy players, Junior Caminero is going to be a menace; he’s leading the team with 41 homers and shows no signs of slowing down. Chandler Simpson has basepath speed and smarts and is always a steal risk, so the Cubs will need their heads on a swivel.
The Cubs might look at the Rays in their position in fourth and think that the weekend series will be an easy one, but they shouldn’t rest on their laurels too much. While the club does fare slightly worse on the road this year, they are still a smart, savvy team that knows how to make the most out of all their moving parts.
Fun facts
This is the Cubs’ last of 16 series against American League teams, including two against the White Sox. They have won nine series and lost six, winning 28 games and losing 17. Their .622 winning percentage in interleague games is fourth among all teams and second among National League clubs behind the Astros, at .644 (29-16); Phillies, .643 (27-15); and Blue Jays, .625 (30-18). The Rays are next, at .600 (27-18).
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The Cubs have played only 22 games vs. the Rays, their fewest against any current team and the same number they played against three long-defunct clubs: the Hartford Dark Blues, Louisville Grays and St. Louis Brown Stockings, all in 1876-77.
The Cubs are 9-13 in all games vs. the Rays and 7-7 at home. They won two of three at Wrigley Field in 2003 and 2023, lost two of three in 2014 and 2022, and split two in 2017.
(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Probable pitching matchups
Friday: Matthew Boyd, LHP (12-8, 2.92 ERA, 1.064 WHIP, 3.44 FIP) vs. Shane Baz, RHP (9-11, 4.94 ERA, 1.335 WHIP, 4.46 FIP)
Saturday: Colin Rea, RHP (10-6, 4.20 ERA, 1.309 WHIP, 4.55 FIP) vs. Drew Rasmussen, RHP (10-5, 2.64 ERA, 0.981 WHIP, 3.73 FIP)
Sunday: Shōta Imanaga, LHP (9-7, 3.21 ERA, 0.930 WHIP, 4.55 FIP) vs. Adrian Houser, RHP (8-4, 3.11 ERA, 1.262 WHIP, 3.66 FIP in 18 starts overall; 2-2, 4.93 ERA, 1.330 WHIP, 4.21 FIP in seven starts with Rays)
Times & TV channels
Friday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network (and MLB Network outside the Cubs and Rays market territories)
Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Sunday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
The Cubs have done well vs. American League teams overall this year and have won two of every three interleague games they’ve played at home this year. As noted above, the Rays just lost two of three to the White Sox. Thus I don’t see any reason the Cubs shouldn’t win two of three here.
Up next
The Cubs head to Pittsburgh for a three-game series against the Pirates at PNC Park beginning Monday evening.
