GDB 122.0: Blue Jays open up weekend series against Chicago Cubs
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Photo credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Cam Lewis
Aug 16, 2024, 12:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 16, 2024, 13:39 EDT

For the first time in seven years, the Toronto Blue Jays will play a series at Wrigley Field. They’ll play a three-game weekend series against the Chicago Cubs, another team in the midst of a disappointing season.
The Cubs sit fourth in the National League Central with a 59-63 record, 10.5 games back of the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers and five-and-a-half games back of the third and final Wild Card spot. Chicago has the seventh-best ERA in baseball at 3.75 but they rank below average in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Starting for the Blue Jays on Friday afternoon in the series opener will be Yariel Rodríguez, who will be facing the Cubs for the first time in his Major League career. Rodríguez owns a 3.60 ERA over 12 starts in his rookie season and is coming off back-to-back strong outings against the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics.
Going for the Cubs will be veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks. Once a key part of Chicago’s World Series-winning starting rotation, Hendricks has struggled to a 6.60 ERA over 21 appearances this season and found himself pitching out of the bullpen in late May and early June. He’s faced the Blue Jays twice in his career but those starts came back in 2017 and 2014.

Location: Wrigley Field
First Pitch: 2:20 PM ET
Watch: Apple TV+
Listen: SN590, SN APP, 670 The Score, WRTO 1200

Starting Pitchers

Toronto — RHP Yariel Rodríguez: 12 GS, 1-5 record, 3.60 ERA, 50 IP, 52 SO
Chicago — RHP Kyle Hendricks: 16 GS, 3-10 record, 6.60 ERA, 91 1/3 IP, 65 SO

Lineups:

Blue Jays:
  • George Springer – RF
  • Daulton Varsho – CF
  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – 1B
  • Spencer Horwitz – DH
  • Alejandro Kirk – C
  • Will Wagner – 2B
  • Ernie Clement – 3B
  • Joey Loperfido – LF
  • Leo Jiménez – SS
Cubs:
  • Ian Happ – LF
  • Michael Busch – 1B
  • Seiya Suzuki – DH
  • Cody Bellinger – RF
  • Isaac Paredes – 3B
  • Nico Hoerner – 2B
  • Dansby Swanson – SS
  • Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
  • Miguel Amaya – C