Toronto Blue Jays vs. Chicago Cubs: Odds, Prediction
The Blue Jays make a rare trip to historic Wrigley Field on the North Side of Chicago for a three-game series this weekend and the Cubs as -115 favourites on the MLB odds for Friday’s matinee opener.
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MLB Betting Analysis
What do the Blue Jays and Cubs have in common? Both expected to be 2024 playoff teams but have disappointed. But both expect to be back in contention next year, so neither franchise traded away anyone of major significance ahead of last month’s deadline. Chicago did ship out a solid reliever in Mark Leiter Jr. but also landed All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Rays, and he should be the team’s starter at the hot corner for the next few seasons.
The Cubs were preseason favorites to win the NL Central after luring “free-agent” manager Craig Counsell from Milwaukee and re-signing All-Star outfielder Cody Bellinger this winter, but it just hasn’t worked out for one reason or another. The lineup has certainly disappointed, and Bellinger has been a part of that. He can return to free agency this winter should he choose, with an opt-out option but probably won’t now.
This is the only series between the teams this year. The Cubs took two of three at Rogers Centre in 2023. Toronto hasn’t played at Wrigley since being swept in a three-game set in 2017 – the year after the Cubs ended their epic World Series drought.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays would tie their season high by winning a fourth straight game Friday after a surprise sweep to open this road trip at the Los Angeles Angels – never trailing in the series. Toronto scored 19 runs against the Halos and hit six homers. Both Daulton Varsho and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were a triple shy of the cycle in Wednesday’s 9-2 victory. After his 22-game hitting streak ended Sunday vs. Oakland, Guerrero Jr. had at least one hit in all three games vs. the Angels and homered in the final two. Rookie right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (1-5, 3.60 ERA) is scheduled on the mound Friday. Other than a rough outing in Baltimore on July 29, the 27-year-old has been good since the start of July. He took a no-decision last time out vs. the A’s, allowing one earned and five hits over 5.2 innings. Rodriguez threw a season-high 85 pitches. As can be the case, though, for many rookies, Rodriguez often struggles on the road as he’s 1-3 with a 4.74 ERA in seven away starts. Blue Jays starting pitchers currently have a three-game streak of pitching seven innings with one or fewer runs allowed. That’s likely not continuing Friday.
Chicago Cubs
Many MLB fans want at least one matinee every day of the season for betting purposes. That’s not likely to happen anytime soon because the MLBPA would have to sign off, but whenever the Cubs are home on a Friday they usually play a 2:20 ET game and that’s the case here. This is their last such game of 2024. The Cubbies were on the outskirts of the NL wild-card race with a recent good run, but that all vanished to start this week when they were swept three games in Cleveland and scored just one run in each of the final two.
That Cubs lineup runs way too hot and cold. Chicago is still 21-13 vs. American League teams in 2024. Outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is 23-for-23 in stolen bases, the second-most consecutive successful stolen base attempts to begin a season by any MLB rookie since 1951. Veteran righty Kyle Hendricks (3-10, 6.60 ERA) is scheduled on the mound Friday; the Cubs shopped him around the trade deadline but with those numbers, Hendricks drew little interest. He has been somewhat better of late and allowed two earned over six last time out in a loss to Minnesota. That put Hendricks at double-digit losses for the third time in his 11-year career. He is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two career starts vs. Toronto. Daulton Varsho is the only current Toronto batter to have faced Hendricks and is 2-for-6 with a double.
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