2019 Gameday Thread
Cubs vs. Marlins: Hendricks vs. Ureña (Game 34)
CHC (20-13): RHP Kyle Hendricks (2-4, 3.93 ERA)
MIA (10-25): RHP José Ureña (1-5, 5.45 ERA)
First pitch 7:05pmCDT 6:35pmCDT
Kyle Hendricks completed a shutout against the Cardinals with only 81 pitches last time out. He missed the Marlins in April. The current Marlins have slashed .254/.324/.328 in 67 ABs.
Cubs vs. Marlins: Lester vs Smith (Game 33)
CHC (19-13): LHP Jon Lester (2-1, 1.73 ERA)
MIA (10-24): LHP Caleb Smith (3-0, 2.00 ERA)
First pitch 7:05pmCDT
Jon Lester was stellar in his last outing, throwing 7 scoreless against the Mariners. He hasn't allowed more than 2 runs in a start this year and has a WHIP just below 1. He was on the IL for the series in Miami and will be facing the Marlins for the first time this season. Curtis Granderson has faced him in 51 ABs over the years and posted an .894 OPS. Martin Prado is 7-16 against him.
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Cubs vs. Marlins: Hamels vs. Alcantara (Game 32)
CHC (19-12): LHP Cole Hamels (3-0, 3.19 ERA)
MIA (9-24): RHP Sandy Alcantara (1-3, 4.86 ERA)
First pitch 7:05pmCDT
The Cubs polished off their sweep of the Cardinals in dominating fashion and now take on the less imposing last-place Miami Marlins.
Cubs vs. Cardinals Series Thread (Games 29-31)
It's rivalry time, folks! The redbirds come into town with a 20-11 record and the first spot in the division. This is the first time the two teams will face off in 2019. Despite the gap in their records, the two teams should be matched pretty evenly. The Cards come into the series second in the NL in runs scored, but the Cubs are only 4 runs behind them and trail only the Dodgers in WRC+ and actually lead the NL in WOBA. Both teams also bring tremendous production from the SS position, where Paul DeJong and Javier Baez have each contributed to the offensive resurgence of shortstops across the maors. The Cards have had a slightly better bullpen, but the Cubs have had the edge from starting pitchers. See the pitching matchups below.
Cubs @ Mariners: Lester vs. Gonzales (Game 28)
CHC (15-12): LHP Jon Lester (1-1, 2.37 ERA)
SEA (18-14): LHP Marco Gonzales (5-0, 2.80 ERA)
First pitch 5:40pmCDT
After taking the back-and-forth game one, the Cubs go for a sweep of the short series today. Jon Lester will make his second start coming off of the IL. He showed no signs of rust on 4/25 when he went five innings allowing only one earned run. The veterans Encarnacion and Bruce have faced him in 73 total ABs. Bruce should get the day off, having gone 3-26 against the lefty. Encarnacion is 10-47 but has 3 HRs.
Cubs @ Mariners: Hamels vs. Hernández (Game 27)
CHC (14-12): LHP Cole Hamels (3-0, 3.16 ERA)
SEA (18-13): RHP Félix Hernández (1-2, 3.91 ERA)
First pitch 9:10pmCDT
The Cubs will face the Mariners for the first time since 2016, and Cole Hamels will lead the way. Hamels' continued success with the Cubs has been fun and looks shockingly sustainable. His last start was a bit below the standard he's set for himself in Chicago. He walked too many to go deep into the game and allowed 3 ER in 5.1 IP against the Dodgers. Jay Bruce, Edwin Encarnacion, and Kyle Seager have seen their fair share of Hamels in the past. But only Seager has produced in that time (.846 OPS against), and he's on the DL recovering from a hand injury. Mitch Haniger is 4-8 with 2 HRs against the lefty. Former Cubs' prospect Dan Vogelbach is off to a red-hot start with the bat and boasts a walk rate just north of 20%.
Cubs @ Diamondbacks: Quintana vs. Weaver (Game 26)
CHC (13-12): José Quintana (3-1, 3.21 ERA)
ARZ (16-12): Luke Weaver (2-1, 3.33 ERA)
First pitch 3:20pmCDT
Quintana starts the rubber game in search of a 4th straight quality start. He's gone 7 in each of his last three games and stuck out 25 batters while walking only 3 in those 21 innings. Adam Jones has given him trouble in the past. He has 9 hits including 2 homeruns in 17 ABs.
Cubs @ Diamondbacks: Darvish vs. Godley (Game 25)
CHC (12-12): RHP Yu Darvish (1-3, 5.96 ERA)
ARZ (16-11): RHP Zack Godley (1-1, 6.67 ERA)
First pitch 7:10pmCDT
Darvish went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs to take a loss against the Diamondbacks last time out. He has yet to get through the 6th inning in a start and has suffered troubles with both walks and homeruns this season. The stuff has been there but the command has not.
Cubs @ Diamondbacks: Hendricks vs. Ray (Game 24)
CHC (12-11): RHP Kyle Hendricks (1-3, 3.54 ERA)
ARZ (15-11): LHP Robbie Ray (0-1, 3.95 ERA)
First pitch 8:40pmCDT
It's a rematch, following the Cubs 2-1 series win at Wrigley this past weekend. Hendricks got his first win in that series, going 7 IP with 11 strikeouts and generally looking like he'd figured some things out. He allowed only 5 baserunners an was backed by the Cubs offense for 5 runs to beat Merrill Kelly.
Cubs vs. Dodgers: Lester vs. Stripling
CHC (12-10): LHP Jon Lester (1-0, 2.57 ERA)
LAD (15-11): RHP Ross Stripling (1-1, 3.07 ERA)
First pitch 1:20pmCDT
The Cubs took the second game in a 7-6 victory. Jon Lester comes off the IL to go for the sweep. It's been 17 days Lester tweaked his hamstring, so he's accrued only 14 innings pitched on the season. He'll definitely be raring to go. There are 142 ABs against him spread across various current Dodgers, with AJ Pollock and Enrique Hernandez going 11-27 collectively.
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Recent comments
crunch (view)
SF snags b.snell...2/62m
Cubster (view)
AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.
Arizona Phil (view)
The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24).
However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time).
Arizona Phil (view)
Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.
Arizona Phil (view)
For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024:
* bats or throws left
Angel Cepeda, INF
* Miguel Cruz, P
Yidel Diaz, C
* Albert Gutierrez, 1B
Fraiman Marte, P
Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B)
Derniche Valdez, INF
Edward Vargas, OF
Jeral Vizcaino, P
And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.
Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect.
F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season.
The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher).
Arizona Phil (view)
DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically.
Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).
Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day.
Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will.
Dolorous Jon Lester (view)
I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.
The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster
Arizona Phil (view)
Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required.
They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).
If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.
If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option).
Childersb3 (view)
Phil,
Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?
Arizona Phil (view)
In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!
And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).