Chicago Cubs vs Toronto Blue Jays

It's the end of a six-game road trip for last place Toronto. Bowden Francis (4.92 ERA) has thrown 81 pitches in each of his last two starts and the bullpen is 28th in ERA (4.96) and WHIP. The offense is 22nd in runs and slugging with no way to manufacture runs (27th in steals). The Blue Jays have lost six straight interleague road games versus a lefty starter. Chicago is on a 10-5 run ranked eighth in steals, while the bullpen is eighth in ERA (3.65). The Cubs are 17-5 in the 22 starts made by southpaw Shota Imanaga (3.16 ERA). They've also won five in a row against losing teams. Play Chicago. 

The Chicago Cubs are just 60-63 on the season, and their playoff chances are extremely low despite playing well over the 2nd half of the season. The Cubs own a 21-15 record in their last 36 games. The Blue Jays have struggled all season long, and after their opening series loss last night to the Cubs 6-5, they come into this game at 57-65 on the season. The Blue Jays will go with a struggling Chris Bassitt. Bassitt opened the season with the Jays going 6-6 in his first 12 decisions, but they have since gone a woeful 3-9, with opponents scoring five or more runs in nine of the 12 starts. Justin Steele had a miserable start to the season as the Cubs won just one of his first nine decisions, but he has settled in and owns a 3.16 ERA on the season. I like the Chicago Cubs in this one.

Chicago is on a 17-6 run ranked fifth in runs scored, fourth in on-base percentage, and Top 10 in slugging, while the pitching is 12th in the bullpen (3.98). Justin Steele (2.68 ERA) has had a great season with the Cubs winning nine of his last 10 starts. Toronto has lost three of four dropping all three as chalk. They were a -145 favorite against Chicago yesterday but lost again, 6-2. The offense has scored just nine runs over the last five contests. And the Blue Jays are 11-18 after scoring three runs or fewer in three consecutive contests. Play Chicago as a Max Play.