Can the Cubs Defy the Odds and Stun Scherzer Despite Their Slump?

Can the Chicago Cubs finally put the pieces together, or will the Toronto Blue Jays close this series out with their trademark punch? Yesterday left us hanging—a mixed bag with a 1-1 record but a bit of a sting from the juice biting hard. Cristopher Sanchez, usually a safe bet, had an off day, and Hunter Greene’s unexpectedly lengthy return from injury had me scratching my head—is six innings too bold or just what the doctor ordered? Now, as the Cubs and Blue Jays square off today at 3:07 ET, the narrative feels clear yet tantalizingly complex. The Cubs, stuck in limbo between pitching brilliance and offensive woes, trail behind a surging Brewers squad. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays, boasting a fiery offense and the formidable Max Scherzer on the mound, seem poised to capitalize in front of their home crowd. Given Matthew Boyd’s road struggles and Scherzer’s recent uptick in form, who’s really got the upper hand? This rubber game promises a chess match where every pitch could tip the scales—and with runs hard to come by this series, expect tension and precision. Let’s dive into the matchup that could redefine both teams’ trajectories. LEARN MORE.

Cubs vs. Blue Jays, 3:07 ET

Yesterday was a 1-1 day, so not terrible, but it was a losing endeavor with the juice hitting us. I had one player prop and one moneyline look. Backing Cristopher Sanchez this season has been a very good idea, but yesterday he was not quite as sharp, allowing three earned runs, and the Reds ended up winning the game 8-0. Hunter Greene came back from the injured list and was just as dominant as he was before the injury. I was shocked to see him throw for six innings. It seems a bit careless, but what do I know about coming back from injury to play at a major league level. We are going to shift across the border for today’s play as the Cubs and Blue Jays wrap up a series.Â

The Cubs are not quite in a free fall, but their team seems to be incapable of putting together both dominant pitching and great offense. It seems like one or the other is good for the club, but never both. They have dropped to second in the division and are likely to remain there, or worse, third, for the end of the year. The Brewers keep winning, and the Cubs offense is sputtering. Thankfully, the pitching staff which has received a lot of doubt this season (justifiably), has performed very well lately. Perhaps no one on the staff performing better than today’s starter, Matthew Boyd. Boyd comes into this game with an 11-5 record, 2.45 ERA, and a 1.05 WHIP. He has been worse on the road than he has been at home this season with a 3.15 road ERA compared to a 1.75 home ERA. The Cubs have lost his last three starts. I’d say the blame lies on him for at least one of them. He has thrown 17 innings over the past three starts and allowed eight earned runs. All eight of the runs came on the road. Blue Jays hitters have done well against him, getting six hits in 16 at-bats.Â

The Blue Jays don’t have that much different of a record than the Cubs, but I think if we asked almost anyone, they would feel more confident in Toronto’s team than they would about Chicago’s. The Blue Jays are a .500 team on the road, but at home are 19 games over. There is no question the team has a potent offense, and they currently are hitting .269 for the season. The pitching staff has some big names and has been decent overall, but they are sitting with a 4.25 collective ERA. That’s one area to shore up a bit, but honestly, if they are hitting the way they normally do, it really doesn’t matter if their ERA is a bit higher. Today, they send out Max Scherzer to the mound. For the year, Scherzer is 2-2 with a 4.21 ERA, and a 1.11 WHIP. He has made only eight starts since June, but he has been getting better and better. He has three straight quality starts and four in his last five outings. Scherzer has done well against the Cubs hitters, but half of the plate appearances have come from Dansby Swanson. Overall the team is 23-for-106, and Swanson is 10-for-51.Â

This is going to be a tight matchup and is the rubber game of the series. The Cubs are struggling right now, but neither team is swinging great in this series. The loser in both games scored just one run. The winner hasn’t scored more than five runs. I think this game probably goes under as well, but I wouldn’t take the under 7.5, it just feels like there is not a lot of room for error. I think the Blue Jays win this game through five innings. Scherzer hasn’t been perfect, but Boyd hasn’t been great on the road. I’ll take the Blue Jays through five.Â

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