Tampa Bay Rays vs Chicago White Sox Prediction, 4/16/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Chicago White Sox

Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026

Location: Rate Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Chicago Sports Network

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (-145) Chicago (+125)

The Tampa Bay Rays (9-7) are traveling to Rate Field on Thursday where they will attempt to beat the Chicago White Sox (6-11). The odds on this game have the Rays at -145 and the White Sox open at +125. The total comes in at 8.5. The pitchers taking the mound are Steven Matz and Anthony Kay.

The Rays have accounted for 23 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 12 balls out of the stadium. Tampa Bay has a slugging rate of .387 and have been called out on strikes 115 times, while taking a walk on 52 occasions. As a squad, the Tampa Bay Rays are notching 4.9 runs per outing, which puts them at 10th in baseball. They have 73 RBI's in addition to 147 hits for the year, and their batting average is at .266. They have 78 runs scored while having a team OBP of .336.

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The Rays have a team earned run average of 4.55 on the campaign (24th in MLB), and they have rung up 126 batters. Rays pitchers have given up 20 home runs in addition to 85 total runs (23rd in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 56 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 4.46 as a team on the year. Tampa Bay has surrendered 119 base knocks (7.5 per 9 innings) as well as 72 earned runs. They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.25 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.23.

Rays bullpen pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 14 times and also have had 20 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have 12 holds this season (9th in baseball). The Rays relievers have earned a save rate of 62.5% and have entered the game in 20 save situations. They have earned 5 saves this year and have blown 3 of their 8 save chances. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 20 base runners on the year with 50.0% of those players crossing home plate. The Rays have sent 48 relievers to the mound this season.

The Rays have turned 72.1% of baseballs in play into outs in their 1,281 innings on the field, which has them sitting at 5th in professional baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays have accounted for 427 putouts thus far, in addition to 110 assists and 19 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .966 which has them ranked 30th in the majors, and they have turned 7 double plays.

Matz has thrown 1,020 innings and has 957 strikeouts in his MLB career. His earned run average is 4.19 (475 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.303. He has surrendered 1,033 hits (9.1 hits per nine innings) and has 296 walks. Matz (63-62 win-loss record in his career) has earned a FIP of 4.13 while he has gone up against 4,346 opposing hitters in the majors.

Chicago has tallied 14 HRs this year to go along with 48 runs batted in. They have recorded 17 doubles, while walking 61 times and racking up 54 runs. The Chicago White Sox have a team OBP of .280 in addition to a batting average of .191 this year. The White Sox have a slugging percentage of .307 and they are recording 3.18 runs per contest (29th in MLB). They have been rung up on 166 instances (5th in the league) and have accounted for 103 base knocks.

The White Sox have a WHIP of 1.456 in addition to having a FIP of 4.23 as a squad over the course of the season. They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.10 (132 strikeouts against 74 bases on balls). They are sitting at 22nd in the league as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 140. They have given up 14 long balls and they relinquish 5.33 runs per 9 innings (25th in the league). The Chicago pitching staff have given up 87 runs over the course of the season and come in with a team ERA of 4.84 (79 earned runs allowed).

With 19 save situations, the White Sox have amassed 9 holds and also 5 blown saves. Chicago has had bullpen pitchers step onto the mound in 10 save opportunities and they have come away with 5 saves. Chicago bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 30.8% out of 39 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have taken the field 18 times in high leverage situations and on 21 occasions with runners on. They sit at 22nd in MLB holding a save percentage of 50.0%, and they have sent 60 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond so far this year.

In 1,323 innings played, the White Sox have earned a defensive efficiency of 68.4% (22nd in professional baseball). The Chicago White Sox have gotten 11 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .980 (23rd in professional baseball). The White Sox have racked up 146 assists, 12 errors and have earned a total of 441 putouts this year.

So far in his pro baseball career, Kay has allowed 99 base knocks and he has 99 punch outs in 99 innings. Kay (5-2 career win-loss mark) holds a 5.17 earned run average while allowing 9.0 hits per nine innings. He has allowed 57 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.551 and being the owner of a FIP of 5.1. He has a K/BB ratio of 1.80 and he has faced 457 batters so far in his pro baseball career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (+125)

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