The Chicago Cubs look to complete the sweep against the Toronto Blue Jays as they finish off their three-game set at Wrigley Field this afternoon.
Shota Imanaga is the focus of my Cubs vs Blue Jays predictions as as he looks to build upon his impressive debut season in the MLB.
Find out why I think the southpaw will give his club the upper hand in my MLB picks for Sunday, August 18.
Blue Jays vs Cubs prediction
My best bet
Cubs -1.5 (+125 at PROLINE+)
My analysis
The Chicago Cubs picked up another tight win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon, this time celebrating a 3-2 victory thanks to a couple of RBIs from Michael Busch and a team effort on the mound as seven different pitchers featured for the hosts.
Saturday starter Justin Steele threw just two innings due to a rain delay but Sunday should look a little different with clear skies and Shota Imanaga taking the mound. The southpaw has impressed in his first MLB season with a 9-2 record through 22 starts to go along with a 3.16 ERA – the fourth-best mark among National League starters.
The Jays will counter with Bowden Francis, who’s set to make his third straight start but just the seventh of his MLB career. Francis threw seven innings against the Angels in his last start on August 12 – by far the longest outing of his career – and gave up just one hit and one run in the process.
However, the 28-year-old has pitched 5+ innings only four times in his 20 appearances this season, so chances are he’ll hand the ball off to Toronto’s 28th-ranked bullpen for at least three or four innings.
With Imanaga having the edge in this matchup and the Cubs owning one of the best bullpens in the majors, I think Chicago should complete the sweep in a comfortable fashion.
Blue Jays star player prop
My best bet
Bowden Francis Over 4.5 strikeouts (+110 at PROLINE+)
My analysis
Bowden Francis has had an up-and-down season with multiple stints in Triple-A, but the right-hander is currently enjoying what’s probably the best run of form in his Major League career. Francis recorded eight strikeouts in his last outing against the Angels on August 12 and had seven punchouts in his previous start vs the Orioles on August 7.
While Francis has primarily been a reliever for Toronto, he’s shown an ability to pitch deeper into ballgames as a starter, logging 5+ innings in each of his last three starts. Franchis has recorded 51 Ks in 56 2/3 innings this season – just under one strikeout per inning – so if he pitches into the fifth, he’ll likely hit Over 4.5 Ks.
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Blue Jays vs Cubs odds
Blue Jays vs Cubs live odds
Blue Jays vs Cubs opening odds
- Run line: Toronto +1.5 (-150) | Chicago -1.5 (+125)
- Moneyline: Toronto +162| Chicago -177
- Over/Under: Over 6.5 | Under 6.5
Blue Jays vs Cubs spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Cubs come into the series finale as the favorite for the third straight game, opening at –177 on the moneyline. That line shifted as high as –190 by Saturday night while the Blue Jays are hovering around +150.
- The Cubs are 5-1 in their last six home games and have won six straight meetings against the Blue Jays at Wrigley Field.
- Our total opened at a very low 6.5 runs as oddsmakers are expecting strong showings from both Shota Imanaga (3.16 ERA) and Bowden Francis (4.92 ERA).
- The Under is 4-2 in Chicago’s last six contests and 5-3 in Toronto’s last six games.
Blue Jays vs Cubs trend
The Cubs are 10-5 in their last 15 games. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Cubs.
Blue Jays vs Cubs game info
| Location: | Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL |
| Date: | Sunday, 8-18-2024 |
| First pitch: | 2:20 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Sportsnet, Marquee |
| Blue Jays starting pitcher: | Bowden Francis (5-3, 4.92 ERA) |
| Cubs starting pitcher: | Shota Imanaga (9-2, 3.16 ERA) |
Blue Jays vs Cubs latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Cubs weather
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