Happy Jose Bautista weekend to all those continuing to celebrate.

There&#8217;s lots of reason to from a historical perspective, but uh&#8230; not a ton from the current perspective.
The Jays have lost two-of-three games against the Chicago Cubs this weekend, and are well at risk of dropping out of the third wild card spot by the end of the day. While the Jays have held off the Seattle Mariners, a recent run from them this week has left them half a game back of Toronto.
So for the Jays, today&#8217;s start with Hyun-Jin Ryu on the mound is going to be critical for them to win. The bats have once again felt inept over the last week, and they&#8217;ll have a tough go of it again today with Jameson Taillon on the mound. Don&#8217;t let his 5.17 ERA on the season fool you as over his last five starts, he&#8217;s allowed nine earned runs across 29 and a third innings for a sharp 2.76 ERA over that time.
<hr />
<ul>
<li>Matt Chapman (right middle finger inflammation) was a late scratch.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
First pitch: 1:37 p.m EST — Sportsnet, Sportsnet 650.
Toronto Blue Jays: 65-54, 8.0 GB, &#8211; WCGB, +52 DIFF.
Chicago Cubs: 61-56, 2.5 GB, &#8211; WCGB, +71 DIFF.
<a href="https://www.betano.ca/sport/baseball/north-america/mlb/1662r/">Odds via Betano:</a>
Moneyline: TOR -122; CHI +105.
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/2023/08/11/betano-bets-of-the-series-will-the-toronto-blue-jays-take-down-the-chicago-cubs/">Series Bets:</a>
Blue Jays to win the series -143 
Series correct score Toronto 2-1 +130
Starting pitchers:
TOR: Hyun-Jin Ryu LHP – 0-1, 2 GS, 9.0 IP. 4.00 ERA, 108 ERA+, 4.26 FIP, 1.222 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9, 5.0 SO/9.
CHI: Jameson Taillon RHP – 7-6, 20 GS, 101.0 IP. 5.17 ERA, 89 ERA+, 4.54 FIP, 1.1337 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9, 7.9 SO/9.
Lineups: 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%">
Toronto 
<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--away">
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/whit-merrifield-593160" target="" rel="noopener">W Merrifield</a> (R) LF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/brandon-belt-474832" target="" rel="noopener">B Belt</a> (L) 1B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/vladimir-guerrero-jr-665489" target="" rel="noopener">V Guerrero Jr.</a> (R) DH</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/george-springer-543807" target="" rel="noopener">G Springer</a> (R) RF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/cavan-biggio-624415" target="" rel="noopener">C Biggio</a> (L) 2B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/danny-jansen-643376" target="" rel="noopener">D Jansen</a> (R) C</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/daulton-varsho-662139" target="" rel="noopener">D Varsho</a> (L) CF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/santiago-espinal-669289" target="" rel="noopener">S Espinal</a> (R) 3B 
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/paul-dejong-657557">P. DeJong</a> (R) SS</li>
</ol>
</td>
<td style="width: 50%">
Chicago
<div class="starting-lineups__teams starting-lineups__teams--xs starting-lineups__teams--md starting-lineups__teams--lg">
<div class="starting-lineups__buttons starting-lineups__buttons--bottom">
<div class="p-button-group" role="group">
<div class="p-button p-button--regular starting-lineups__button">
<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--home">
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/christopher-morel-666624" target="" rel="noopener">C Morel</a> (R) DH</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/nico-hoerner-663538" target="" rel="noopener">N Hoerner</a> (R) 2B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/ian-happ-664023" target="" rel="noopener">I Happ</a> (S) LF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/cody-bellinger-641355" target="" rel="noopener">C Bellinger</a> (L) CF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/dansby-swanson-621020" target="" rel="noopener">D Swanson</a> (R) SS</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/seiya-suzuki-673548" target="" rel="noopener">S Suzuki</a> (R) RF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/patrick-wisdom-621550" target="" rel="noopener">P Wisdom</a> (R) 1B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/nick-madrigal-663611" target="" rel="noopener">N Madrigal</a> (R) 3B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/miguel-amaya-665804" target="" rel="noopener">M Amaya</a> (R) C</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2 style="text-align: left">Need to bide the time until first pitch?</h2>
Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio as the crew talks about the Jays&#8217; latest series against the Cleveland Guardians, and Alek Manoah being sent to Triple-A.
<iframe title="Spotify Embed: Blue Jays Nation Radio" style="border-radius: 12px" width="100%" height="152" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/show/00f5Twxj4i9KG1WXzdOiG1?go=1&#038;sp_cid=b3195c716641dffe5ac518f4b2755cdc&#038;utm_source=oembed&#038;utm_medium=desktop&#038;nd=1"></iframe>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center"><a href="https://gml-grp.com/C.ashx?btag=a_24038b_2065c_&amp;affid=7966&amp;siteid=24038&amp;adid=2065&amp;c=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GDB PRESENTED BY BETANO</a></h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61491" src="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/04/Betano_ON_Base_727x404-1.png" alt="" width="727" height="404" srcset="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/04/Betano_ON_Base_727x404-1.png 727w, https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/04/Betano_ON_Base_727x404-1-300x167.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 727px) 100vw, 727px" />
<hr />
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/zjlaing">@zjlaing</a>, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.
<hr />

Happy Jose Bautista weekend to all those continuing to celebrate.



There's lots of reason to from a historical perspective, but uh... not a ton from the current perspective.

The Jays have lost two-of-three games against the Chicago Cubs this weekend, and are well at risk of dropping out of the third wild card spot by the end of the day. While the Jays have held off the Seattle Mariners, a recent run from them this week has left them half a game back of Toronto.

So for the Jays, today's start with Hyun-Jin Ryu on the mound is going to be critical for them to win. The bats have once again felt inept over the last week, and they'll have a tough go of it again today with Jameson Taillon on the mound. Don't let his 5.17 ERA on the season fool you as over his last five starts, he's allowed nine earned runs across 29 and a third innings for a sharp 2.76 ERA over that time.

<hr />

<ul>
 	<li>Matt Chapman (right middle finger inflammation) was a late scratch.</li>
</ul>

<hr />

First pitch: 1:37 p.m EST — Sportsnet, Sportsnet 650.

Toronto Blue Jays: 65-54, 8.0 GB, - WCGB, +52 DIFF.

Chicago Cubs: 61-56, 2.5 GB, - WCGB, +71 DIFF.

<a href="https://www.betano.ca/sport/baseball/north-america/mlb/1662r/">Odds via Betano:</a>

Moneyline: TOR -122; CHI +105.

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/2023/08/11/betano-bets-of-the-series-will-the-toronto-blue-jays-take-down-the-chicago-cubs/">Series Bets:</a>

Blue Jays to win the series -143
Series correct score Toronto 2-1 +130

Starting pitchers:

TOR: Hyun-Jin Ryu LHP – 0-1, 2 GS, 9.0 IP. 4.00 ERA, 108 ERA+, 4.26 FIP, 1.222 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9, 5.0 SO/9.

CHI: Jameson Taillon RHP – 7-6, 20 GS, 101.0 IP. 5.17 ERA, 89 ERA+, 4.54 FIP, 1.1337 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9, 7.9 SO/9.

Lineups: 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%">
Toronto 

<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--away">
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/whit-merrifield-593160" target="" rel="noopener">W Merrifield</a> (R) LF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/brandon-belt-474832" target="" rel="noopener">B Belt</a> (L) 1B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/vladimir-guerrero-jr-665489" target="" rel="noopener">V Guerrero Jr.</a> (R) DH</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/george-springer-543807" target="" rel="noopener">G Springer</a> (R) RF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/cavan-biggio-624415" target="" rel="noopener">C Biggio</a> (L) 2B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/danny-jansen-643376" target="" rel="noopener">D Jansen</a> (R) C</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/daulton-varsho-662139" target="" rel="noopener">D Varsho</a> (L) CF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/santiago-espinal-669289" target="" rel="noopener">S Espinal</a> (R) 3B
</li>
 	<li><a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/paul-dejong-657557">P. DeJong</a> (R) SS</li>
</ol>
</td>
<td style="width: 50%">
Chicago

<div class="starting-lineups__teams starting-lineups__teams--xs starting-lineups__teams--md starting-lineups__teams--lg">
<div class="starting-lineups__buttons starting-lineups__buttons--bottom">
<div class="p-button-group" role="group">
<div class="p-button p-button--regular starting-lineups__button">
<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--home">
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/christopher-morel-666624" target="" rel="noopener">C Morel</a> (R) DH</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/nico-hoerner-663538" target="" rel="noopener">N Hoerner</a> (R) 2B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/ian-happ-664023" target="" rel="noopener">I Happ</a> (S) LF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/cody-bellinger-641355" target="" rel="noopener">C Bellinger</a> (L) CF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/dansby-swanson-621020" target="" rel="noopener">D Swanson</a> (R) SS</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/seiya-suzuki-673548" target="" rel="noopener">S Suzuki</a> (R) RF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/patrick-wisdom-621550" target="" rel="noopener">P Wisdom</a> (R) 1B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/nick-madrigal-663611" target="" rel="noopener">N Madrigal</a> (R) 3B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/miguel-amaya-665804" target="" rel="noopener">M Amaya</a> (R) C</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2 style="text-align: left">Need to bide the time until first pitch?</h2>
Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio as the crew talks about the Jays' latest series against the Cleveland Guardians, and Alek Manoah being sent to Triple-A.

https://open.spotify.com/show/00f5Twxj4i9KG1WXzdOiG1?go=1&amp;sp_cid=b3195c716641dffe5ac518f4b2755cdc&amp;utm_source=embed_player_p&amp;utm_medium=desktop&amp;nd=1

<hr />

<h2 style="text-align: center"><a href="https://gml-grp.com/C.ashx?btag=a_24038b_2065c_&amp;affid=7966&amp;siteid=24038&amp;adid=2065&amp;c=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GDB PRESENTED BY BETANO</a></h2>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61491" src="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/04/Betano_ON_Base_727x404-1.png" alt="" width="727" height="404" />

<hr />

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/zjlaing">@zjlaing</a>, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.

<hr />

GDB 120.0: Toronto Blue Jays look to salvage series with Chicago Cubs

Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Nathan Lukes (38) is congratulated by third baseman Addison Barger (47) after he hit a home run during the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

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