Venue: Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date: Thursday, August 14, 2025
First Pitch: 3:07 PM ET / 12:07 PM PT
Broadcast: Marquee Sports Network, Sportsnet, MLB.tv
Team Snapshot
| Team | Chicago Cubs | Toronto Blue Jays |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 68–51 (2nd in NL Central) | 70–51 (1st in AL East) |
| Last 10 Games | 4–6 | 6–4 |
| Road/Home | 32–29 (road) | 39–20 (home) |
| Series Status | Tied 1–1 | Winner takes rubber match |
Probable Pitchers
- Cubs: Matthew Boyd (11–5, 2.45 ERA, 121 K, 1.05 WHIP)
- Blue Jays: Max Scherzer (2–2, 4.21 ERA, 49 K, 1.11 WHIP)
Boyd has been dominant in his last seven starts (4–2, 2.05 ERA), while Scherzer is rounding into form after early-season thumb issues.
Players to Watch
Chicago Cubs
- Matt Shaw: Homered in Wednesday’s win
- Michael Busch: 2 HR in series, .263 AVG
- Pete Crow-Armstrong: 27 HR, 78 RBI, 31 doubles
Toronto Blue Jays
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: .300 AVG, 48 XBH
- Ernie Clement: 4 HR, 8 RBI in last 10 games
- Bo Bichette: .297 AVG, key table-setter
Game Outlook
- The Cubs evened the series with a 4–1 win on Wednesday behind rookie Cade Horton’s stellar outing (5.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R).
- Toronto was held to just two hits and struck out 10 times, a rare offensive lull at home.
- With both teams in tight playoff races, this rubber match carries weight: Cubs are chasing Milwaukee in the NL Central, while Toronto eyes its first AL East crown since 2015.
Game Odds
Chicago Cubs – 113
Toronto Blue Jays 8
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Wednesday, August 13, 2025
