Rays at Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are having a tough time recapturing the magic of their World Series run last fall. The Tampa Bay Rays hope to delay it for at least another day when they wrap up a two-game set with the host Cubs on Wednesday.
The Rays held on for a 6-5 win in Tuesday’s series opener and have won three of their last four. The Cubs have dropped five of their last seven games to slip a game below .500 and 3 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the National League Central. “It just feels like we're not clicking at the same time,” Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant told reporters. “We'll figure it out. I think we have a great team here and great pitching staff and guys who really want to do well. When you have those ideas in your head, then things turn out the way you want them to." The Cubs are 1-6 in interleague play this season after going 15-5 against the American League last season.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), CSN Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Blake Snell (0-5, 5.36 ERA) vs. Cubs RH John Lackey (5-9, 5.24)
Snell has lost three straight starts, and the Rays have dropped each of the last four games he has started. The 24-year-old has yet to record a quality start in nine outings this season and hasn’t made it through six innings since his season debut April 6. Snell is 1-7 with a 4.64 ERA in 14 career road starts.
Lackey has just one win in his last seven decisions and has posted only three quality starts in his last nine outings. The 38-year-old had his worst performance of the season last time out in a loss at Washington, allowing eight runs and nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. Lackey is 13-8 with a 4.00 ERA in 24 starts against the Rays, but he hasn’t faced them since 2014.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs OF/2B Ian Happ is 8-for-24 during a six-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games.
2. Rays SS Adeiny Hechavarria is 9-for-23 in six games since being acquired from Miami.
3. Chicago OF Jon Jay has reached base in his last 14 starts at home.