Blue Jays and Cubs play to determine series winner

Audio By Carbonatix

Chicago Cubs (68-51, second in the NL Central) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (70-51, first in the AL East)

Toronto; Thursday, 3:07 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Cubs: Matthew Boyd (11-5, 2.45 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 121 strikeouts); Blue Jays: Max Scherzer (2-2, 4.21 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 49 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cubs -113, Blue Jays -106; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: Both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Chicago Cubs are looking for a series win with a victory on Thursday.

Toronto is 70-51 overall and 39-20 in home games. The Blue Jays have a 51-3 record in games when they scored five or more runs.

Chicago is 68-51 overall and 32-29 in road games. The Cubs are 53-10 in games when they out-hit their opponents.

Thursday's game is the third time these teams match up this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is second on the Blue Jays with 48 extra base hits (29 doubles and 19 home runs). Ernie Clement is 16 for 44 with two doubles, a triple, four home runs and eight RBIs over the past 10 games.

Pete Crow-Armstrong has 31 doubles, four triples, 27 home runs and 78 RBIs while hitting .254 for the Cubs. Nico Hoerner is 12 for 38 with a double over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Blue Jays: 6-4, .319 batting average, 3.54 ERA, outscored opponents by 28 runs

Cubs: 4-6, .225 batting average, 3.21 ERA, outscored opponents by two runs

INJURIES: Blue Jays: George Springer: 7-Day IL (head), Shane Bieber: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bowden Francis: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Ryan Burr: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Nick Sandlin: 15-Day IL (elbow), Yimi Garcia: 15-Day IL (ankle), Anthony Santander: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Alek Manoah: 60-Day IL (elbow), Angel Bastardo: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Cubs: Miguel Amaya: day-to-day (leg), Mike Soroka: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Jameson Taillon: 15-Day IL (calf), Eli Morgan: 60-Day IL (elbow), Justin Steele: 60-Day IL (elbow)

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.