Chicago Cubs vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Odds, Prediction
Off a tough and losing series at the L.A. Dodgers, the schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Blue Jays on Tuesday night as they return home for a three-game set against another National League contender in the Chicago Cubs. Toronto is a -125 favourite on the MLB odds with a total of 9 runs.
Betting Analysis
Tuesday starts a six-game homestand for Toronto, and it could be a World Series preview vs. the Cubs. The Blue Jays continue to lead the AL East and battle for the top seed in the Junior Circuit playoffs. They are +160 favourites to get that.
The Cubs led the NL Central for a large chunk of the first half but now are 6.5 games back of Milwaukee, which has been playing out of its mind for many weeks. The Cubbies are all but assured of at least a Wild-Card spot and hold the top one in the Senior Circuit. Chicago has the lineup to win the World Series but maybe not the pitching.
It’s a very big season for the franchise in that it made a massive trade in the offseason in acquiring outfielder Kyle Tucker from Houston. Tucker has been all that the Cubs could have hoped for, but they gave up some good young talent for what may be a one-year rental with Tucker set for free agency next winter. He will be the No. 1 overall player available if he gets there. Expert the Blue Jays to put an in offer. Probably every team that has ownership willing to fork over at least $400 million (US) on a player will make an offer.
These clubs met for three games in 2024 at Wrigley Field and the Cubs won two. They also won two of three in their last visit to Rogers Centre in 2023.
Chicago Cubs
Chicago enters having lost two of three in back-to-back series. Outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was one of the breakout stars of the early season and an NL MVP candidate, but the Cubs’ lineup has not been up to par of late in part due to the 23-year-old going in a massive slump. He’s hitting .091 without an RBI in August. But Armstrong is only three homers from a 30-homer/30 steal season as he got steal No. 30 in Sunday’s loss. Fellow All-Star starter Kyle Tucker has slowed down, too, batting .207 with a single RBI this month.
The club is really thin on starting pitching right now due to injury and thus forced to use on Tuesday inconsistent 25-year-old Ben Brown (5-7, 6.04 ERA), who probably should be in the bullpen or still in the minor leagues — but he was a touted prospect. And Brown has been better of late, allowing two earned over nine innings in his past two starts. But he has a 6.29 ERA in nine road outings. Brown has never faced the Blue Jays. The Cubs are 2-4 in their past six.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays finished their six-game road trip through Denver and Los Angeles at 4-2 after a 5-4 comeback win at the Dodgers on Sunday to avoid a sweep. Ernie Clement homered in the top of the ninth for the winning run, his third homer in the past four games. The bullpen did a solid job behind starter Eric Lauer, who had a rare poor outing and lasted just three innings. Rookie Mason Fluharty earned his first big-league save in retiring former MVPs Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. Fluharty will remember that forever. Both second baseman Andres Gimenez and outfielder George Springer could be activated off the IL ahead of Tuesday’s opener or at least in the series.
Veteran righty Jose Berrios (8-4, 3.89 ERA) gets the start on the mound. He is 3-1 at home in 11 starts despite a not-great 4.34 ERA but has pitched at Rogers Centre just once in his six. Berrios is 1-2 with a 6.20 ERA in four career starts against the Cubs. Kyle Tucker is 5-for-15 off him with a homer, and former Blue Jay Justin Turner is 5-for-14 with two doubles and a homer. The Jays are 13-3 in their past 16 at home.
CHC
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