Former Rays manager Joe Maddon makes his return to Tropicana Field for a two game set. The defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs disappointed in the first half with a 43-45 record entering the all-star break. However they have had the second best record in all of baseball since with a record of 40-21. That only trails the Cleveland Indians 46-17 run.
The Matchups:
The opener will feature a matchup of starters that spent time in the other team’s minor league systems. Mike Montgomery was acquired by the Tampa Bay Rays along with Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, and Patrick Leonard for James Shields, Wade Davis, and Eliot Johnson from the Kansas City Royals.