Rays try to stop 4-game road slide, play the Cubs

By The Associated Press

Tampa Bay Rays (39-18, first in the AL East) vs. Chicago Cubs (24-30, fourth in the NL Central)

Chicago; Wednesday, 2:20 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Zach Eflin (7-1, 3.17 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 52 strikeouts); Cubs: Justin Steele (6-2, 2.77 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 57 strikeouts)

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Rays -136, Cubs +116; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

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Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow throws against the Texas Rangers during the first inning of Game 1 in an AL wild-card baseball playoff series game, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Rays visit the Chicago Cubs looking to stop a four-game road losing streak.

Chicago has a 15-15 record in home games and a 24-30 record overall. Cubs hitters have a collective .333 on-base percentage, the second-ranked percentage in the NL.

Tampa Bay has a 39-18 record overall and a 13-12 record in road games. The Rays have the highest team on-base percentage in the AL at .344.

The teams play Wednesday for the third time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Dansby Swanson has 12 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 23 RBI while hitting .271 for the Cubs. Seiya Suzuki is 10-for-34 with two doubles and a home run over the past 10 games.

Yandy Diaz ranks second on the Rays with 23 extra base hits (11 doubles and 12 home runs). Jose Siri is 10-for-36 with a triple, four home runs and seven RBI over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cubs: 4-6, .196 batting average, 5.01 ERA, outscored by 25 runs

Rays: 5-5, .254 batting average, 5.52 ERA, outscored by eight runs

INJURIES: Cubs: Nick Burdi: 15-Day IL (appendicitis), Cody Bellinger: 10-Day IL (knee), Adrian Sampson: 60-Day IL (right meniscus), Brad Boxberger: 15-Day IL (forearm), Codi Heuer: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ethan Roberts: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Rays: Pete Fairbanks: 15-Day IL (hip), Drew Rasmussen: 60-Day IL (flexor), Zack Littell: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Garrett Cleavinger: 60-Day IL (knee), Jeffrey Springs: 60-Day IL (elbow), Shawn Armstrong: 60-Day IL (neck), Shane Baz: 60-Day IL (elbow), Andrew Kittredge: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.