Looking to Get Back on Track, the Chicago Cubs Head North to Toronto for Three-Game Series

After a series loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs are set for three games of interleague play with the Toronto Blue Jays.

For the first time since 2017, the Chicago Cubs will head across the Canadian border to play a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays beginning on Monday night.

Despite their series loss over the weekend, it seems that Chicago has been playing a better brand of baseball of late. After winning four of their last six series, they look to secure their first month of .500 baseball (14-13 entering Monday) this season in the three-game set.

Taking the mound in game one for the Cubs will be rookie right-hander Javier Assad, making just his second career start after a four-inning no-decision last week.

Chicago has yet to announce who will start game three, but it’s safe to say the most intriguing pitching matchup in the series comes in game two, as Marcus Stroman will face Blue Jays ace, Kevin Gausman.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman pitching earlier this season.  / © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Stroman was a key part of the Blue Jays pitching rotation for the better part of six seasons, making 119 starts with the team from 2014 to 2019.

Although we wouldn’t find them slated to take the mound after pitching this weekend, starting pitchers Justin Steele and Adrian Sampson will not make the trip to Toronto due to Canada’s Covid-19 vaccine requirements.

Throughout the weekend series in Milwaukee, there were various contributors to the Chicago offense who will be looking to continue their stretch as the road trip continues.

Outfielder Ian Happ led the offense in Milwaukee while collecting four hits with two being home runs in Friday night's win.

After snapping his streak of eight consecutive hitless games, Nico Hoerner collected a solid four hits in the weekend series. With two three-hit games in his last five, it seems the shortstop has found his footing at the plate.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ this past weekend against the Milwaukee Brewers.  / © Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

With a team playing with World Series contending expectations, the Blue Jays have not been playing their best brand of baseball as of late.

Entering Monday night with an 11-13 record in the month of August, Toronto will look to avoid their first month under .500 this season.

They currently sit nine games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East and hold a slim one-and-a-half-game lead over the surging Baltimore Orioles for the final American League wildcard spot.

Despite two important recent series wins on the road against the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, they suffered a devastating sweep at home this weekend against the lowly Los Angeles Angels.

An abysmal offensive weekend saw their seventh-best run-scoring offense in all of baseball plate only three runs total.

The Blue Jays offense has the third-best batting average in all of baseball on the season at .261 but in August has only hit .242.

Recently though, outfielder George Springer has returned from injury in a big way and should help calm their offensive woes. In just 12 games since returning, he has an incredible .455 batting average with a 1.156 OPS.

He has collected 20 hits in the stretch, including his 19th home run of the year yesterday.

As the two teams meet for the three-game set, the Cubs will look to continue their best month on the season and play spoiler to a Toronto team in the midst of a playoff push. 

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