Jameson Taillon gets the start for the Cubs (61-56, 29-28 away) against Hyun Jin Ryu and the Blue Jays (65-54, 30-26 home). Today will be game three of their series, with the Cubs leading 2-0. Check out who I like to see who comes out on top in today’s Chicago Cubs vs. Toronto Blue Jays matchup.

CHICAGO CUBS VS TORONTO BLUE JAYS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago Cubs +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Rogers Centre at 1:37 ET on Sunday, August 13th.

WHY BET THE CHICAGO CUBS:

  • Over their last five games as the favorite, the Blue Jays are just 1-4 against the runline.
  • The Blue Jays have struggled against the runline when favored of late, failing to cover in five straight times.
  • Over his last five starts, Jameson Taillon has an ERA of just 2.56.

CHICAGO CUBS ON A RUNLINE WIN STREAK

On a record of 61-56, the Cubs are 2nd in the NL Central. At home, they have put together a win percent of 53.3% compared to 50.9% on the road. This season, Chicago has gone 31-36 against teams who are above .500, and hold an overall series record of 19-14-4.

Jameson Taillon has made 20 appearances this season, with a record of 7-6 and an ERA of 5.17. His WHIP stands at 1.34 and he has allowed an OBP of .314. Taillon’s strikeout to walk ratio is 89/30, though he has given up a home run in each of his last two outings.

The Cubs earned a victory when Jameson Taillon was on the mound in their 3-2 win over the Mets. The right-hander pitched seven innings, giving up three hits and two earned runs, resulting in a successful outing and a “W” for his record.

This season, the Cubs are 5th in the league at 5.1 runs per game. Over their last ten games, they have a combined batting average of .247 (13th) leading to 5.4 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 3.6 walks per game compared to 9 strikeouts. Chicago’s on-base percentage of .333 has them 4th in the MLB.

Over the Cubs’ past ten contests, Cody Bellinger has been the leader in home runs with two, bringing his season total to 18. His overall batting average stands at a remarkable .331.

WILL THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

This season, the Blue Jays have an overall series record of 22-14-1 and are currently 3rd in the AL East. Toronto’s overall record is 65-54, which includes their current three game losing streak. On the road, the Blue Jays are 35-28 and 30-26 at home.

Hyun Jin Ryu will take the mound for the Toronto Blue Jays with an 0-1 record. Through two appearances, he has posted a 4.00 ERA and 5 K/9, along with a 4.27 FIP and .306 OBP.

Hyun Jin Ryu’s most recent outing was a stellar one, as he didn’t surrender a single hit in four innings of work. The Blue Jays ultimately emerged victorious, 3-1 over the Guardians, despite Ryu not factoring into the decision. He finished with zero earned runs on the night.

Across their last ten games, the Blue Jays’ offense is 8th in batting average, leading to an average of 3.9 runs per contest in that span. Overall, they are the 14th ranked scoring offense and posted a season-long OPS of .746 on 137 (14th).

Whit Merrifield has been a key contributor to the Blue Jays’ offense this season, batting .297 and driving in 55 runs. Over the team’s last five games, he has been especially impressive, leading the team in hits with a .370 average.