Blue Jays vs Cubs Picks: Toronto Hits Windy City For Weekend Series

MLB Odds Favor The Visitors

The Chicago Cubs try to turn things around when they return home for a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays beginning on Friday. Both teams are fighting to stay within shouting distance of the Wild Card spot in their respective leagues and need as many wins as they can muster.

Toronto (57-64) comes into this series on a three-game winning streak, having swept the Los Angeles Angels on the road this week. The Blue Jays are in last place in the AL East standings, 2.5 games behind the fourth-place Tampa Bay Rays, and are nine games out of the final Wild Card spot in the American League.

The Cubs are reeling after being swept by the Cleveland Guardians in a three-game series this week. Chicago (59-63) is in fourth place in the NL Central, 1.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds, who are tied for second in the division. The Cubs entered Thursday’s action six games behind the Atlanta Braves for the final Wild Card spot in the National League.

The MLB game lines for the series opener are anticipating a tight game, with Toronto the narrowest of favorites at -110 on the moneyline. Chicago is listed at -106 to pick up the straight-up win.

If you’re making your Blue Jays vs Cubs Picks on the run line, you can get the Cubs at -164 when they get 1.5 runs, while the Blue Jays are +136 when giving those runs. The over/under for Friday’s game has been set at 10.5 runs, with -122 odds available for the under and +100 for the over.

The series is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. ET first pitches for each contest, with the entire series being played at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Yariel Rodriguez (Toronto) vs Kyle Hendricks (Chicago)

Rookie right-hander Yariel Rodriguez will get the start in the series opener for Toronto. The 27-year-old is 1-5 with a 3.60 ERA in 12 starts, striking out 52 in 50 innings of work. Rodriguez has been excellent in August, putting up an 0.87 ERA in two starts, though the one run he’s given up in his 10.1 innings this month gave him a loss against the Oakland Athletics last Saturday.

Chicago will have veteran righty Kyle Hendricks starts in Friday’s contest. Hendricks has struggled this season, going 3-10 with a 6.60 ERA, recording 65 strikeouts in 91.1 innings of work over 21 appearances and 16 starts. The former All-Star is coming off a solid performance against the Minnesota Twins on Aug. 5, going six innings and allowing two runs on five hits while striking out five and walking one, but took the loss in a 3-0 final.

Game 2: Chris Bassitt (Toronto) vs Justin Steele (Chicago)

Right-hander Chris Bassitt will try to bounce back from an ugly outing when he takes the mound for Saturday’s contest for the Blue Jays. Bassitt is 9-11 with a 4.30 ERA this season, striking out 129 in 134 innings over 24 starts. But he didn’t have his good stuff on Sunday against the Athletics, lasting just four innings and allowing seven runs on eight hits, including two home runs, while striking out five and walking two. Bassitt has been up and down since the start of July, allowing at least four runs in every other start of his last seven outings.

Chicago will counter with lefty Justin Steele making his 20th start of the season. Steele is 3-5 with a 3.16 ERA and has recorded 112 strikeouts in 114 innings. Steele is coming off a masterful performance against the Chicago White Sox last Saturday, going six innings and allowing one unearned run on six hits while striking out eight and walking two.

Game 3: Bowden Francis (Toronto) vs Shota Imanaga (Chicago)

The Blue Jays will have righty Bowden Francis start Sunday’s series finale. Francis has started six games this season among his 20 overall appearances, putting together a 5-3 record with a 4.92 ERA. Francis is coming off a win in his last outing against the Angels on Monday, starting and going seven innings and allowing just one run on one hit while striking out eight and walking none.

Cubs rookie sensation Shota Imanaga will get the call for Sunday’s contest. The 30-year-old left-hander is 9-2 with a 3.16 ERA (10th in baseball). Additionally, he has struck out 131 batters in 128.1 innings over 22 starts. He’s hoping for a bounceback performance in this one after going five innings in his last start on Monday against the Guardians, allowing seven runs (three earned) on seven hits, including a pair of home runs.

Cubs Need More Offense Against Blue Jays

The MLB betting trends on the Cubs have been up and down this season. This team lacks consistency offensively. Chicago was scoring well heading into its three-game series against Cleveland this week. It put eight runs on the board in the series opener. But in the series’ final two games, the Cubs only managed two runs.

Outfielder Ian Happ comes into this series with a six-game hitting streak, though he’s batting just .190 in August. Happ leads the Cubs with 25 doubles, 20 home runs, 67 RBI, and 66 runs scored, but he’s batting .231 on the season, showing the team’s unpredictability at the plate.

Toronto has not exactly lit up scoreboards either, ranking 22nd in runs entering Thursday’s action (Chicago was 20th). First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has set the pace for the team. He ranks fourth in the majors with a .323 batting average. Guerrero is also tied for 12th in the big leagues with 80 RBI and tied for 17th with 25 home runs. He is a player to look at for your MLB props bets.

Blue Jays Edge Cubs In Tight Series

Our Blue Jays vs Cubs picks lean towards the hotter team in Toronto to take this series. The Blue Jays have the best offensive player in the series in Guerrero along with solid pitching. The Cubs have been too inconsistent to place your bets on, though they are 32-27 when playing at home.

Still, for our money, Toronto is the team to take. It should come away with at least two wins this weekend.

Blue Jays vs Cubs Picks and Stats

For Blue Jays vs Cubs matchups, betting analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.


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