The Chicago Cubs took the first two games of the series, guaranteeing their 10th series win since the All-Star Break.
If they win again this afternoon, they’ll have secured their sixth series sweep, and 28th win in just 38 tries since the break. Kyle Hendricks will help them get there.
Hendricks takes the ball after yet another nice outing in Colorado, where he lasted 6.0 innings, giving up just one earned run (on a homer), on 4 hits, 1 walk and three strikeouts. He remains the ERA leader in all of MLB (2.16), by nearly 0.30 runs. Madison Bumgarner trails him with a 2.44 ERA. Hendricks will pitch to Willson Contreras.
Opposing Hendricks is righty Paul Clemens. Clemens has struggled mightily this season, both as a starter and as a reliever. Through his seven starts in 2016, all batters are hitting like All-Stars: .267/.359/.530 (.379 wOBA), although righties (.434 wOBA) have done much more damage than lefties (.293 wOBA). For his career, though, those numbers get a little closer together: .399 wOBA vs. righties, .345 wOBA v. lefties.
With Anthony Rizzo getting a breather today (the day before an off-day, as Joe Maddon likes to do), Clemens will face but one lefty – Jason Heyward – from start to finish (well, plus a couple switch-hitters). The offense should be there.
First pitch is at 2:40 CT.
Game Info
Chicago Cubs (80-45) at San Diego Padres (53-73), 2:40 CT on WGN, 670 The Score.
Game Thread and Series Preview
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The Series Preview lives here. The Lineup Discussion lives here.
Starting Pitchers
Cubs: Kyle Hendricks (R): 2.16 ERA, 3.45 FIP; 3.68 xFIP; 3.53 K/BB
versus
Padres: Paul Clemens: (R): 4.82 ERA, 6.95 FIP, 5.72 xFIP; 1.35 K/BB
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San Diego Padres Lineup
1. Travis Jankowski, CF
2. Will Myers, 1B
3. Yangervis Solarte, 3B
4. Alex Dickerson, LF
5. Ryan Schimpf, 2B
6. Brett Wallace, 1B
7. Derek Norris, C
8. Luis Sardinas, 2B
9. Paul Clemens, P
Chicago Cubs Lineup
1. Dexter Fowler, CF
2. Kris Bryant, 1B
3. Ben Zobrist, 2B
4. Jorge Soler, LF
5. Addison Russell, SS
6. Jason Heyward, RF
7. Javier Baez, 3B
8. Willson Contreras, C
9. Kyle Hendricks, P