The Chicago White Sox host the Tampa Bay Rays on April 15, 2026. First pitch from Rate Field is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on CHSN+.
The Rays are favored by -118 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The White Sox are +100 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 8 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Rays vs White Sox prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Rays vs White Sox Prediction
- Rays vs White Sox Pick: Rays Moneyline (-125 or better)
My Rays vs White Sox best bet is on Tampa Bay to win outright. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Rays vs White Sox Odds
| Rays Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +146 | 8 -100o / -122u | -118 |
| White Sox Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -176 | 8 -100o / -122u | +100 |
- Rays vs White Sox spread: Rays -1.5 (+146), White Sox +1.5 (-176)
- Rays vs White Sox over/under: 8 (-100o/-122u)
- Rays vs White Sox moneyline: Rays -118, White Sox +100
Rays vs White Sox Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Jesse Scholtens (TBR) | Stat | RHP Sean Burke (CHW) |
|---|---|---|
| 0-0 | W-L | 0-1 |
| 0.1 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.6 |
| 0.00/3.09 | ERA /xERA | 3.60/3.22 |
| 2.09/3.57 | FIP / xFIP | 1.96/3.43 |
| 1.07 | WHIP | 1.50 |
| 17.6% | K-BB% | 19.4% |
| 41.7% | GB% | 44.2% |
| 92 | Stuff+ | 100 |
| 118 | Location+ | 111 |
Rays vs White Sox Betting Preview, Picks
The White Sox are the only team projected to be worse defensively than the Angels in my model, and they have struggled behind their pitchers thus far, ranking 25th in Defensive Runs Saved (-7) and 23rd in Outs Above Average (-3). Surprisingly, however, the Rays – who project as an average defensive club and typically excel in that hidden area – rank 20th in DRS (0) and 30th in OAA (-9) to this point in the season.
I bet the Rays on Tuesday with a reduced Shane McClanahan facing rookie Noah Schultz in his MLB debut, and I am backing Tampa Bay again on Wednesday, with Jesse Scholtens facing Sean Burke.
Scholtens is a former White Sox draft pick who has made a few spot starts for the Rays over the past two seasons. He's unspectacular, but projects as a No. 4 starter (projected FIP range 4.03 to 4.67; K-BB% range of 11.5% to 14.1%), due to excellent command (career 110 Location+ in the majors and a 6.7% walk rate in the minors).
Scholtens doesn't project quite as well as Shane Smith (projected FIP range 4.23 to 4.44; K-BB% range from 11.6% to 14.5%), but the Rays have the better bullpen (3.8 to 4.1 weighted FIP) and lineup (projected one point better in wRC+ vs. righties), and project as the superior baserunning team, too.
My model aims to capture differences in hidden areas – namely, baserunning and defense – and those small adjustments can be enough to move me onto or off of a game. When the teams are near the top or bottom of the league, the impact on the projection becomes more pronounced.
Adding the Rays' baserunning and defensive advantages together, it's worth a near 4.5% swing in this matchup, which explains away the entirety of my edge in betting on this game.
Pick: Rays Moneyline (-125 or better)
