Toronto Blue Jays vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 8/18/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Toronto Blue Jays vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Sunday, August 18, 2024

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

The Chicago Cubs (59-63) welcome the Toronto Blue Jays (57-64) at Wrigley Field on Sunday. The pitchers taking the mound are Bowden Francis and Shota Imanaga.

As a squad, the Toronto Blue Jays are putting up 4.2 runs per contest, which has them at 22nd in the league. They have accumulated 504 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .313. The Blue Jays have tallied 210 two-baggers as a team and have hit 113 balls out of the park. They have earned 479 runs batted in in addition to 957 base knocks on the year, and their team batting average sits at .239. Toronto owns a slugging percentage of .384 and have been called out on strikes 910 times, while drawing a walk on 389 occasions.

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The Blue Jays have an ERA of 4.54 this season (27th in the league), and the staff has struck out 978 batters. Blue Jays pitchers have yielded 167 long balls in addition to 581 total runs (25th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 384 players from the other team and their FIP comes in at 4.60 as a squad over the course of the season. Toronto has given up 1,021 base hits (8.6 per 9 innings) as well as 537 earned runs. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.55 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.32.

Blue Jays bullpen pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 119 times as well as having 92 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have earned 68 holds so far this season (13th in MLB). The Blue Jays relief pitchers have a save rate of 66.7% and has entered the game in 116 save situations. They have compiled 30 saves on the campaign and have blown 15 of their 45 save opportunities. The relievers have inherited 189 runners on the year with 31.2% of those runners earned a run for their team. The Blue Jays have sent 408 relief pitchers to the mound on the year.

The Blue Jays have transformed 69.9% of balls hit into play into outs out of 9,588 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 15th in baseball. The Toronto Blue Jays have a total of 3,196 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 1,006 assists and 69 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .984 which is 23rd in the majors, and have earned 90 double plays.

Francis (6-3 win-loss record in his career) sits with a FIP of 3.61 and he has faced 377 hitters in the major leagues. He has conceded 77 base knocks (7.4 hits per 9 innings) and has 24 free passes. His ERA is 3.67 (38 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.084. Francis has thrown 93 frames and has earned 87 punch outs during his MLB career.

The Chicago Cubs have an on-base percentage of .311 as well as a team batting average of .235 over the course of the season. They have struck out on 1,052 instances (13th in the league) and have accounted for 957 base hits. Chicago has recorded 124 HRs on the year to go along with 483 runs batted in. The Cubs hold a slugging % of .384 and they are recording 4.20 runs per game (20th in baseball). They have put up 188 doubles, while getting a free base 400 times and scoring 513 runs.

The Cubs have a team WHIP of 1.236 and have a FIP of 3.95 as a unit over the course of the season. They are currently ranked 9th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 969. The Chicago pitching staff have given up 510 runs over the course of the season while having a team ERA of 3.75 (448 earned runs allowed). They currently have a K/BB ratio of 8.60 (1,033 strikeouts against 360 walks). They have surrendered 130 home runs and they concede 4.27 runs per 9 innings (12th in MLB).

Chicago has called on relief pitchers to take the mound in 47 save chances and they have tallied 26 saves. They rank 25th in baseball with a save percentage of 55.3%, and they have dispatched 366 relievers to the mound on the year. Their bullpen pitchers have taken the field 131 times in high leverage situations and on 110 occasions with runners on base. Chicago relievers have an inherited score percentage of 30.9% out of their 162 inherited base runners. With 101 save situations, the Cubs have amassed 53 holds in addition to 21 blown saves.

In their 9,675 innings on the field, the Cubs are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 70.4% (11th in baseball). The Chicago Cubs have turned 65 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .986 (12th in MLB). The Cubs have recorded 971 assists, 60 errors and have earned a total of 3,225 putouts for the season.

Thus far in his career, Imanaga has surrendered 119 base knocks and he has 131 strikeouts in 128 innings. Imanaga (9-2 career record) has earned a 3.16 ERA and has surrendered 8.4 hits per 9 innings. He has given up a total of 45 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.077 and having a FIP of 3.1. His K/BB ratio is 6.89 and he has gone up against 521 hitters so far in his MLB career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Chicago

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