Chi. Cubs Cubs vs Toronto Blue Jays Picks and Predictions August 16th 2024

From Wrigley Field in Chicago, we have the Blue Jays and Cubs facing off in an interleague matchup. Today’s money line odds have the Blue Jays at -105, while the Cubs are the slight favorite at -114. The over/under line is sitting at 10 runs, and APLTV will be televising this one.

First pitch is set for 2:20 PM ET, and the forecasted temperature is 75 degrees with light rain in the Chicago area. Toronto is currently on a three-game winning streak, and they are 5th in the AL East, while the Cubs are 4th in the NL Central with an overall record of 59-63.

Toronto vs. Chicago Key Information

Right-hander Yariel Rodríguez is getting the start for the Blue Jays today as he faces the Cubs on the road. He has made 12 starts this year and has a record of 1-5 with a 3.60 ERA. Opposing batters are hitting .212 this season off Rodríguez, and he has a WHIP of 1.30. The last time he pitched, Rodríguez took the loss, going 5 2/3 innings and giving up one earned run on five hits. He has given up at least one homer in three of his last four outings. Per nine innings, Rodríguez is averaging 4.5 walks compared to 9.36 strikeouts.

For the season, the Blue Jays are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 22nd in the league. They have been a little better on the road, averaging 4.3 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .239, which is 15th in the league and have the 12th best on-base percentage in the league. Toronto’s offense is led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is batting .323 for the season and has gone 13/33 with three homers over his last eight games.

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Guerrero Jr. is not only the team’s leader in home runs, but his 80 RBIs are also the best mark on the team and 12th in the league. Daulton Varsho is 2nd on the team in RBIs, but he is batting just .208 for the season.

Chicago is sending Kyle Hendricks to the mound today vs. the Blue Jays, and he is looking to rebound from his last outing, where he gave up six earned runs in six innings of work vs. the Twins. In that outing, he gave up one homer. Hendricks has a record of 3-10 this season and an ERA of 6.60. Looking at his home/away splits, he has an ERA of 6.17 at home compared to 7.68 on the road. Opponents are batting .285 off Hendricks this season. The right-hander has made 16 starts, three of which were quality starts.

Chicago’s offense has been pretty average this season, as they are 20th in runs scored (4.2 runs per game) and are also near the bottom of the league in both slugging percentage and OPS. The Cubs have been a bit better at home, averaging 4.3 runs per game, compared to 4.1 runs per game on the road. As a team, they are batting .235, which is 17th in the league.

Coming into the game, Ian Happ and Isaac Paredes are the Cubs’ top home run hitters, with 20 and 18 homers, respectively. Happ has also driven in the most runs on the team this season, with 67 RBIs. Over his last seven games, Happ has three homers and is batting .250. Happ is also on a six-game hitting streak.

Our lean in this one is to take the Cubs to come out on top at home vs. the Blue Jays. We also have this as the lowest projected scoring game of the day and would lean towards the under. Looking at the starters for this matchup, we have Kyle Hendricks as the better strikeout option over Yariel Rodríguez for the Blue Jays.

Cubs Seek to Rebound from Sweep in Series Opener Against Blue Jays

The Chicago Cubs end up in a dubious situation as the season finisher race heightens, sitting 5 1/2 games out of a National League wild-card spot with only 40 games remaining. Subsequent to being cleared by the American League-driving Cleveland Guardians, the Cubs will hope to refocus as they start a critical six-game homestand, beginning with a three-game series against the meeting Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.

Cubs’ Recent Struggles

The Cubs entered their series against Cleveland closely following a four-game series of wins, yet their energy came to a screeching end as they dropped three straight games to the Gatekeepers. Wednesday’s 6-1 loss denoted an especially baffling finish to the series, as Chicago’s offense oversaw only five hits.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell expressed his disappointment following the sweep.

“It’s disappointing,” Counsell said. “I thought we played two pretty good games the first two days. Today, offensively, we didn’t do a good job, we didn’t do enough. And that’s disappointing. That is a good baseball team, for sure. But getting swept is no good.”

Now, the Cubs face the challenge of quickly bouncing back against a Toronto team that has been playing well. Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon emphasized the importance of not letting the recent losses snowball. “Lost three, now we have to punch back,” Taillon said. “And it feels like that’s kind of been the story of the season. So hopefully we can punch back and not turn, like these three into something bigger.”

Blue Jays Riding High

Rather than the Cubs’ battles, the Blue Jays enter this series with certainty in the wake of finishing a three-game scope of the Los Angeles Heavenly messengers. Toronto’s offense was terminating on all chambers in their 9-2 triumph on Wednesday, with Daulton Varsho, Ernie Forebearing, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. each hitting homers. The success covered off areas of strength for a for the Blue Jays, who have been coordinating a few youthful players into their setup following last month’s exchange cutoff time.

Toronto chief John Schneider has been satisfied with how his group has performed, particularly the youthful players who are acquiring significant experience. “I like the manner in which the folks are going about it,” Schneider said. “With the veteran guys leading the way, we have a lot of young dudes that are kind of learning as they go … I love the way the guys went about it after traveling to the West.”

One player Schneider is keeping a close eye on is rookie outfielder Joey Loperfido, who was acquired from the Houston Astros on July 29. Loperfido has struggled at the plate since joining the Blue Jays, batting just .128 (5-for-39). Despite the slow start, Schneider remains confident in the young outfielder’s potential.

“It’s not the start he wanted to get off to, obviously,” Schneider said. “We still have all the confidence in the world in him and he’s making some adjustments. He’s feeling it, but he has a good way about him and he understands this is going to be a bit of a process.”

Pitching Matchup: Rodriguez vs. Hendricks

Friday’s series opener will feature a matchup between two right-handers: Toronto’s Yariel Rodriguez and Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks. Rodriguez, 27, has been a bright spot in the Blue Jays’ rotation despite his 1-5 record. In his last start, he allowed just one run on five hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 1-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics. Rodriguez has been particularly effective in his last two outings, posting a 0.87 ERA across 10 1/3 innings.

Rodriguez will be facing the Cubs for the first time in his career, and his performance on the road will be key. While he has been solid at home with a 2.49 ERA in five starts, his ERA balloons to 4.74 in seven road outings.

On the opposite side, Kyle Hendricks will take the hill for the Cubs, hoping to expand on a promising execution in his last beginning. The 34-year-old veteran surrendered two runs north of six innings in a 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins, denoting his best excursion as of late. Hendricks has battled this season, posting a 3-10 record with a 6.60 Time, yet his experience could be vital as the Cubs look to stop their pallet.

Varsho, who has been one of the Blue Jays’ more consistent hitters, is 2-for-6 against Hendricks in his career. Hendricks, meanwhile, has had mixed results against Toronto, holding a 5.40 ERA in two career starts without a win.

What’s at Stake

For the Cubs, this series against the Blue Jays addresses a urgent second in their season. With the season finisher picture starting to diminish, Chicago needs to string together wins to remain in the wild-card chase. A solid exhibition at home against Toronto could reignite their postseason trusts, while another series loss could drive them farther of dispute.

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The Blue Jays, meanwhile, are looking to build on their recent success and continue integrating their young talent as they make a push toward the postseason in the American League. A series win on the road would further solidify their status as a team to watch in the final weeks of the season.

Conclusion

As the Cubs open their series against the Blue Jays, a lot is on the line for the two groups. Chicago is frantic to switch its new slide and keep its season finisher trusts alive, while Toronto is riding a flood of energy and hoping to proceed with its triumphant ways. With the two groups’ season finisher desires in limbo, this series vows to be a urgent one for the two clubs.