Cubs vs Blue Jays Prediction, Picks, Odds
Jameson Taillon's has been on a roll since the start of July, and facing the struggling Blue Jays bats — and a rusty Ryu opposing him on the mound — our free MLB picks are leaning with Taillon and the Cubs to win again at the Rogers Centre today.
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The Chicago Cubs will try to complete the sweep over the Toronto Blue Jays when the clubs finish off their three-game series today at the Rogers Centre.
MLB odds have the visitors as underdogs against Hyun Jin Ryu, who’s set to make just his third start of the season after returning from Tommy John surgery earlier this month. Meanwhile, the Cubs will counter with Jameson Taillon, who’s playing his best baseball of the season after turning things around in July.
Can Taillon help Chicago complete the sweep and keep Toronto’s bats quiet? We’ll discuss that and more in our free MLB picks for Cubs vs. Blue Jays on Sunday, August 13.
Cubs vs Blue Jays odds
Cubs vs Blue Jays predictions
The Chicago Cubs eked out a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday thanks to a three-RBI game from Dansby Swanson, as well as a go-ahead RBI double in the ninth inning from Christopher Morel, as Chicago improved to 8-3 in its last 11 contests.
Meanwhile, Saturday’s defeat marked the fourth loss in five games for Toronto as the Blue Jays bats remained relatively quiet. Toronto is averaging just 2.20 runs per game over that span — a theme that’s been plaguing the Jays for a while.
The Blue Jays scored 13 runs against the Red Sox last Sunday, which has propped their offensive numbers up but if you ignore that game, they’ve scored just 33 runs this month... and only three clubs have been worse.
Jameson Taillon is set to take the mound for Chicago as he looks to continue rounding into form after a brutal start to his first season with the Cubs. The right-hander posted a 10.90 ERA in May and a 5.60 ERA in June but brought that number down to a stingy 2.67 through five starts in July and 3.00 so far in August.
Coupling Toronto’s struggling offense with Taillon’s resurgence, I think we’ll see Chicago take an early lead and hold on for the win.
My best bet: Cubs five innings/full game (+185 at Sports Interaction)
Cubs vs Blue Jays same-game parlay
Blue Jays Under 4.5 runs (-110)
Bellinger 1+ RBI (+170)
Candelario 1+ hits (-210)
We’ll open our same-game parlay by betting on the Jays to finish Under 4.5 runs, a pretty safe bet considering how cold they’ve been at the plate of late, failing to score more than four runs in each of its last six games.
Next up, we’ll look for Cody Bellinger to stay hot and record another RBI. The Cubs center fielder has come alive since the start of July with a whopping 37 RBI in 37 games and at least one RBI in nine of 11 August contests.
Finally, we’ll bank on Jeimer Candelario to record another hit. The third baseman went 0-for-3 in Saturday’s win but is batting .425 in August with hits in 11 of his last 14 outings.
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Cubs vs Blue Jays moneyline and Over/Under analysis
The Jays opened as the home favorite at -134 but I’m liking the Cubs today as the road dog at +124. The main factor for me is Toronto’s lackluster offense but I also give the pitching edge of Taillon (over Hyun Jin Ryu) considering how the Cubs starter has been trending, as well as the fact that Ryu has still just been ok in shaking off some rust after more than a year off.
Chicago has also enjoyed success in this matchup, winning three straight meetings over Toronto and six of the last eight.
Today’s total opened at 9.0 runs but can be found as high as 9.5 at some books — and at 9.5 runs, I’d lean towards the Under in this one.
The Blue Jays and Cubs have combined for nine runs or fewer in four of their last five meetings, dating back to last season, and I don’t foresee the hosts breaking out of their slump and putting up a big number against Taillon today.
The Under has been a pretty safe bet with Toronto lately, cashing in eight of the Blue Jays’ last 10 outings.
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Trend to know
The Cubs are 9-3 SU in their last 12 road games. Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Blue Jays
Cubs vs Blue Jays game info
Starting pitchers
Jameson Taillon (7-6, 5.17 ERA): Taillon sports an inflated ERA in his first season with the Cubs, though that number doesn’t do him any justice considering how good he’s been in the second half: Taillon has held opponents to two earned runs or fewer in four straight starts and five of his last six outings.
Hyun Jin Ryu (0-1, 4.00 ERA): Ryu was unsurprisingly rusty in his first start of the season on August 1 as the Orioles rocked him for nine hits and four earned runs over five innings. He bounced back with four scoreless (and hitless) innings in his second outing on August 7 against the Guardians, but don’t expect much length out of the lefty today as he continues to find his footing.
