Teams trending in opposite directions of late meet in an interleague matchup when the Toronto Blue Jays battle the Chicago Cubs on Friday afternoon.
Toronto has won three in a row, while Chicago has dropped three straight.
The Blue Jays (57-64), fifth in the American League East, have won six of their last 10 games.
The Cubs (59-63), fourth in the National League Central, are 26-28 during the day.
The Blue Jays lead the all-time series 11-10.
The Cubs have a 4-2 edge in games at Wrigley Field.
First pitch from Wrigley Field in Chicago is set for 2:20 p.m. ET.
Chicago is a -114 favorite on the money line in the latest Blue Jays vs. Cubs odds.
The total number of runs expected to be scored, or the over/under, is 10.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times.
Entering Week 21 of the MLB season, the model is on a 25-13 roll on top-rated run-line picks (+732) that dates back to last season.
Chicago is expected to send right-hander Kyle Hendricks (3-10, 6.60 ERA) to the mound.
Hendricks has pitched well of late, allowing three or fewer earned runs in 12 of his last 14 appearances.
In his last outing, a 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins, Hendricks pitched six innings, allowing five hits, two runs – both earned – with one walk and five strikeouts.
In a 5-1 win at St. Louis on July 12, Hendricks pitched seven shutout innings, allowing just five hits and one walk, while striking out three.
Center fielder Cody Bellinger is among Chicago’s top hitters.
In 92 games this season, Bellinger is hitting .276 with 16 doubles, one triple, 12 homers and 46 RBI.
In a 7-6 win over the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 9, Bellinger was 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored.
Bellinger has hits in seven of the past 10 games.
In six career games against the Blue Jays, Bellinger is batting .318 with three doubles, one homer and six RBI.
Right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (1-5, 3.60 ERA) will start for Toronto.
In 12 starts, Rodriguez has logged 50 innings pitched, allowing 40 hits, 20 earned runs and 25 walks, while striking out 52.
Rodriguez pitched well in his last outing but suffered a 1-0 setback to the Oakland Athletics.
In that game, Rodriguez pitched 5.2 innings, allowing five hits, one earned run and one walk, while striking out five.
First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is among the Blue Jays’ top hitters.
The 25-year-old is hitting .323 in 120 games, including 32 doubles, one triple, 25 homers and 80 RBI.
Guerrero Jr. went 6-for-14 with two homers and four RBI in a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels that finished up on Wednesday.
Guerrero Jr. also had three hits with a double, triple, homer and four RBI in a 7-6 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 8.