The Toronto Blue Jays will continue their three-game series with the Chicago Cubs on Saturday at Wrigley Field. We're on the Northside, sharing our MLB odds series and making a Blue Jays-Cubs prediction and pick while showing you how to watch.
Blue Jays-Cubs Projected Starters
Chris Bassitt vs. Justin Steele
Chris Bassitt (9-11) with a 4.30 ERA
Last Start: Bassitt struggled mightily in his last outing, allowing seven earned runs, eight hits, striking out five, and walking two in a loss to the Oakland Athletics.
2024 Road Splits: Bassitt has been better on the road, going 3-4 with a 3.76 ERA over 10 starts away from Rogers Centre.
Justin Steele (3-5) with a 3.16 ERA
Last Start: Steele dominated in his last outing, going six innings, allowing one run, none earned, and six hits while striking out eight and walking two in a no-decision against the Chicago White Sox.
2024 Home Splits: Steele has done worse at home, going 2-3 with a 3.67 ERA over nine starts at Wrigley Field.
Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Blue Jays-Cubs Odds
Toronto Blue Jays: +1.5 (-164)
Moneyline: +134
Chicago Cubs: -1.5 (+136)
Moneyline: -158
Over: 8.5 (+100)
Under: 8.5 (-122)
How to Watch Blue Jays vs. Cubs
Time: 2:20 PM ET/11:20 AM PT
TV: MLB Network
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Blue Jays Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Blue Jays came into the season with such high hopes. Sadly, it has not worked out that way. The Jays came into the weekend trailing the final wildcard spot in the American League by nine games. Therefore, they are playing out the stretch and already looking forward to next season. The hitters in this lineup need to produce.
Bo Bichette is progressing well in his injury recovery. However, he once again will not be available to play in this one. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continues to be one of the few bright spots in this lineup. Significantly, he came into the weekend batting .323 with 25 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 72 runs. But he will need to do more to beat the 35 home runs he clubbed in 2022. Meanwhile, George Springer continues to struggle. Springer came into the weekend hitting just .219 with 14 home runs, 44 RBIs, and 58 runs. Thus, the Jays need more from him to help Guerrero.
Bassitt has been ridiculously inconsistent lately, registering just two quality starts over five outings. For him to improve, he will need to avoid making mistakes down the heart of the plate. When Bassitt exits the game, he will turn it over to a bullpen that is the third-worst in baseball. Yet, fill-in closer Chad Green has been efficient, going 3-2 with a 1.86 ERA with 12 saves in 12 chances.
The Blue Jays will cover the spread if Guerrero and Springer can both bash the baseball and stake the Jays to an early lead. Then, they need a good outing from Bassitt and for him to go the distance while avoiding crucial mistakes.
Why The Cubs Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Cubs have struggled recently and look to be falling further out of the playoff race. Significantly, they came into the weekend trailing the final wildcard spot in the National League by 5 1/2 games. Chicago needs more out of its offense if there is going to be a miracle playoff run. Ultimately, there is some talent who can make that happen.
Nico Hoerner has been a bright spot in this lineup, leading the team in hits with 112 coming into the weekend. Overall, he was hitting .256 with an on-base percentage of .326, and 62 runs scored. Ian Happ has also been productive for the most part. So far, he leads the Cubs in home runs with 20 while also delivering 67 RBIs. Cody Bellinger has been solid, too. Currently, he is batting .276 with 12 home runs, 46 RBIs, and 48 runs over 92 games this season.
Steele has notched two straight quality starts and hopes to get a third. Ultimately, he has a good chance of doing so against a lineup that has not exactly been a powerhouse. When Steele comes out of the game, he will turn it over to a bullpen that is eighth in baseball in team ERA. Despite that, the closer role has been hard to fill, as Hector Neris is just 8-4 with a 3.43 ERA and 17 saves in 21 chances.
Final Blue Jays-Cubs Prediction & Pick
The Jays came into the weekend with a 59-62 mark against the run line, while the Cubs were just 58-64. Additionally, the Jays were 38-23 against the run line on the road, while the Cubs were only 22-37 against the run line, which was the third-worst in the majors. Bassitt has also been a better pitcher on the road, which may bode well for him here. For that reason, we are going to roll with the Jays to cover the spread on the road.
Click here for more betting news and predictions
Final Blue Jays-Cubs Prediction & Pick: Toronto Blue Jays: +1.5 (-164)
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