Last year, the Chicago Cubs knocked off the Cleveland Indians in a thrilling seven-game contest to win the World Series for the first time since 1908. It was a historic victory for a historic club, and is considered one of the greatest World Series in the history of baseball.
It is something that the Toronto Blue Jays organization and its fans hope will be them one day. Who knows? Perhaps this year it will be a fall classic between the Jays and the Cubs.
Mark Your Calendar: August 18, 19, 20
Toronto Blue Jays fans can now see the Cubs in person (and also take pictures with their famous bear mascot Clark the Cub) as the team travels to the Windy City.
The Cubs will host the Jays for a three-game series on August 18, 19 and 20 at Wrigley Field. With the Cubs trying to gain ground in the National League Central division, and the Blue Jays attempting to leave the basement of the American League East division, experts expect it to be an exciting series.
Stars to Watch For: J.A. Happ, Jon Lester, Josh Donaldson & More
Although the lineups have yet to be announced, the odds of seeing J.A. Happ or Jon Lester, Josh Donaldson or Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber or Troy Tulowitzki, at least once during any of the games are quite high (unless somebody is traded or injured at the time).
John Maddon and his squad will attempt to seek retribution this summer. The last time the Cubs played Toronto was in September 2014, when they were swept by the Jays in three games, winning by large margins: 8-0, 9-2 and 11-1. It wasn’t exactly a great performance by the team.
Directions: How to Get There
One of the best things about being a Jays fan is taking the popular Blue Jays Road Trip. Whether it is going for an eight-hour drive or taking advantage of a travel package from Toronto Pearson to Chicago Midway Airport, experiencing your favourite team playing one of the most popular squads in Major League Baseball is something to cross off your bucket list.
Nobody will blame you for loving the Big Smoke, but witnessing Chicago first-hand is quite the spectacle. Everything from seeing the city’s architecture to consuming its world-famous sports culture, you will “bet your bottom dollar you’ll lose the blues” in Chicago.
Sure, you can see the Chicago White Sox a few times a year during any regular season since they both play in the AL. However, there is something really special about interleague baseball, which is likely due to the fact that you will observe rare matchups between AL and NL teams.
Why Go to Chicago?
Still unsure whether to come to Chicago to see world-class baseball? Here are a few more reasons that will certainly change your mind:
- Wrigley Field is one of the oldest ballparks in the MLB today.
- Both teams have been turning it around after slow starts to the season.
- You can see two MVPs in Kris Bryant and Josh Donaldson live and in person.
- It’s always fun to watch Jake Arrieta pitch.
- A Boston Red Sox fan? Koji Uehara now plays for the Chicago Cubs.
Life may not be going your way right now, or there may be too much tumultuous events occurring all over the world and dominating the news cycle. But legendary baseball behemoth Yogi Berra said it best:
“Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.”
Simply put: keep that August weekend open, travel to the Windy City and watch your beloved Blue Jays take on the Cubs. It will certainly be a fun and exciting game, especially with the 2017 season winding down, a time when every game counts.
