Rays Take 1-0 Lead Over Cubs in Series Opener

Tampa Bay looks to extend advantage in Tuesday matchup at home

Apr. 7, 2026 at 8:03am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color.A cubist interpretation of the high-stakes matchup between the Rays and Cubs, with the home team looking to extend their series lead.Chicago Today

The Tampa Bay Rays have taken a 1-0 lead in their series against the Chicago Cubs after winning the opener. The two teams will face off again on Tuesday evening in St. Petersburg, Florida, with the Rays looking to extend their advantage.

Why it matters

This early-season series between the Rays and Cubs features two teams with playoff aspirations, making each game an important early-season matchup as they jockey for position in their respective divisions.

The details

In the series opener, the Rays sent Drew Rasmussen to the mound, who allowed just one run over five innings of work. The Cubs countered with Javier Assad, who struggled, allowing four runs over 4.2 innings. The Rays' offense was led by a pair of home runs, one each from Wander Franco and Randy Arozarena.

  • The series opener took place on Monday, April 6, 2026.
  • Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 6:40 p.m. EDT.

The players

Drew Rasmussen

The Rays' starting pitcher in the series opener, who allowed just one run over five innings of work.

Javier Assad

The Cubs' starting pitcher in the series opener, who struggled, allowing four runs over 4.2 innings.

Wander Franco

The Rays' young star who hit a home run in the series opener.

Randy Arozarena

The Rays' outfielder who also hit a home run in the series opener.

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What they’re saying

“We knew coming into this series that the Cubs would be a tough opponent, but our guys came out and played a great game. We'll look to build on this momentum in Game 2.”

— Kevin Cash, Rays Manager

What’s next

The Rays will look to extend their series lead on Tuesday when they send Rasmussen back to the mound to face the Cubs' Assad once again.

The takeaway

This early-season series between the Rays and Cubs features two teams with high expectations, making each game an important early-season matchup as they look to gain an advantage in their respective divisions.