Assad makes first start, but Cubs bats continue to stall against Blue Jays

TORONTO — Ernie Clement and Daulton Varsho homered, and the Toronto Blue Jays became the first AL team to reach 70 wins by beating the Chicago Cubs 5-1 on Tuesday night.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three hits as the AL East-leading Blue Jays (70-50) improved to 23-11 against NL opponents.

The Cubs have dropped five of seven. In those five losses, they scored a total of six runs.

Toronto right-hander José Berríos (9-4) allowed two hits, both singles, in 5⅓ scoreless innings. He walked four and struck out three.

Pitching in front of a season-high crowd of 43,003, Berríos won his fourth straight decision. He is 7-1 with a 3.62 ERA in his past 10 starts.

Starting for the first time since Sept. 25, 2024, at Philadelphia, Cubs right-hander Javier Assad (0-1) allowed four runs and eight hits in four innings.

The Cubs reinstated Assad off the 60-day injured list. He had been sidelined by an oblique injury.

Alejandro Kirk’s RBI single was one of three Blue Jays hits in the first inning.

Clement hit a three-run drive off Assad in the fourth. Varsho extended Toronto’s advantage with a leadoff blast against Ben Brown in the eighth. It was Varsho's 12th homer.

Chicago’s Michael Busch hit an RBI single off Tommy Nance in the seventh. Brendon Little came on and struck out Pete Crow-Armstrong to strand runners at second and third.

Blue Jays infielder Andrés Giménez went 1 for 3 with a walk in his return from a sprained left ankle. Giménez last played July 4.

Key moment

Varsho singled to begin the fourth and Ty France was hit by a pitch before Clement’s first-pitch drive to left.

Key stat

The Blue Jays are 31-31 on the road and 39-19 at home.

Up next

Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (8-8, 3.85 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday against Cubs righty Cade Horton (6-3, 3.18 ERA).