- Matchup: Tampa Bay Rays vs St. Louis Cardinals
- Event Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026
- Venue: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
- Broadcast: Cardinals.TV
- Betting Odds: Tampa Bay (+162) St. Louis (-196)
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This Thursday, the St. Louis Cardinals (78-84 last season) host the Tampa Bay Rays (77-85) at the iconic Busch Stadium. The Rays are set at +162 on the moneyline, while the Cardinals sit at -196. The game’s over/under is set at 8 runs, with expected starters Drew Rasmussen and Matthew Liberatore on the mound.
Last season, the Rays accumulated 242 doubles and hit 182 home runs as a team. They boasted a slugging percentage of .401, despite striking out 1,397 times and drawing 468 walks. Tampa Bay’s offense averaged 4.4 runs per game, positioning them 15th in the league. They recorded a total of 680 RBIs and 1,374 hits, culminating in a batting average of .251 and an on-base percentage of .313.
Over the past season, the Rays’ pitching staff produced a team ERA of 3.94, ranking 15th in the league, with 1,416 strikeouts. Pitchers permitted 205 home runs and 683 total runs, placing them 13th in the league. Rays pitchers walked 474 opposing hitters, finishing the season with a FIP of 4.15. They allowed 1,273 hits, averaging 8.0 hits per 9 innings. The team’s strikeout-to-walk ratio stood at 2.99, while their WHIP was recorded at 1.22.
In total, 518 relief pitchers took the mound for the Rays last season. These relievers inherited 165 base runners, with 32.1% of them scoring. Tampa Bay secured 35 saves but converted only 29 of their 64 save opportunities, resulting in a bullpen save percentage of 54.7% after entering 154 save situations. Their relief pitchers recorded 87 holds last season, ranking 18th in MLB, facing high-leverage situations 156 times.
Defensively, the Rays recorded 4,294 putouts, 1,416 assists, and committed 81 errors, resulting in a fielding percentage of .986 (15th in MLB). They turned 147 double plays and converted 70.5% of plays into outs over 12,882 innings, placing 10th in the league.
Drew Rasmussen has pitched 460 innings in his MLB career, accumulating 428 strikeouts. With a personal win-loss record of 30-17, he holds a FIP of 2.85 and has faced 1,840 batters. His earned run average stands at 2.89, allowing 148 earned runs, and he maintains a career WHIP of 1.067 with 372 hits allowed (7.3 hits per 9 innings) and 119 walks drawn.
On the other hand, the St. Louis Cardinals recorded 148 home runs and 653 RBIs last season, along with 263 doubles, drawing 478 walks for a total of 689 runs scored. They maintained an on-base percentage of .314 and a batting average of .245. The Cardinals finished with a team slugging percentage of .378, averaging 4.25 runs per game (19th in MLB). They struck out 1,321 times, ranking 22nd in the league, with a total of 1,331 hits.
As for pitching, the Cardinals yielded 754 runs last season, finishing with an ERA of 4.29 (682 earned runs). They allowed 170 home runs, giving up 4.74 runs per 9 innings (22nd in MLB). St. Louis posted a WHIP of 1.323 and a FIP of 4.06, recording a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 7.60 (1,209 strikeouts to 461 walks). Defensively, they ranked 28th in allowing hits, with 1,434 total hits permitted.
The Cardinals’ bullpen had a 33.6% inherited score rate from 217 runners. They faced high-leverage situations 158 times and also encountered 156 instances with runners on base. The bullpen recorded 92 holds and had 23 blown saves, finishing 12th in MLB with a 64.6% save percentage. The Cardinals used 487 relievers last season and earned 42 saves from 65 save opportunities.
In 12,888 innings, the Cardinals demonstrated a defensive efficiency of 68.9% (23rd in MLB). Their fielding percentage was .987 (11th overall), tallying 124 double plays. They achieved 1,557 assists, committed 80 errors, and recorded a total of 4,296 putouts.
Matthew Liberatore has allowed 347 hits while accumulating 272 strikeouts over 333 innings in his professional baseball career. He has given up 172 earned runs, earning a WHIP of 1.374 and FIP of 4.6. With a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.45, he has faced 1,442 opposing hitters so far in his career, holding a record of 16-24 and an ERA of 4.64, allowing 9.4 hits per 9 innings.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s MLB showdown against the spread or moneyline?
Prediction: Back Tampa Bay (+162)
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