NEWSLETTER
After a frustrating loss in the opener last night, the Cubs head back out to Fenway Park for a rematch against the Red Sox. Former Red Sock John Lackey is on the mound for the Cubs, and he’ll square up against the knuckleballer, Steven Wright.
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Wright’s 2016 season was his best in the Majors, both in terms of the quantity (24 starts, 156.2 IP) and quality (3.33 ERA) of his work. However, 2017 has gotten off to quite a different start.
Through his first four games (two against the Orioles, and one each against the Rays and Tigers), Wright has allowed 17 earned runs thanks to seven long balls. Given that he only allowed twelve homers in all of 2016, you can imagine that he’s probably pretty frustrated. Hopefully, the Cubs can keep him that way.
With that said, if he’s on, watch out for that knuckleball. Because, wow:
Steven Wright's lively Knuckleball + The Nastiest Pitching GIFs From This Weekend's Games https://t.co/l1eKIFPvg3 pic.twitter.com/RMv5c3HviE
— Pitcher List (@ThePitcherList) August 29, 2016
Lackey has also been bit by the home run ball early in the 2017 season. The five homers he’s allowed so far this season are tied for the 22nd most in all of baseball, and his 1.88 HR/9 is 17th worst.
The Cubs certainly don’t need a win today, but I do. So go get em, boys. It might not be easy.
The Red Sox are 21-3 (.875) in day games at Fenway Park since 5/14/16, including 5-0 in 2017. They host the Cubs today at 4:05 p.m.
— Red Sox Notes (@SoxNotes) April 29, 2017
Game Info
Chicago Cubs (12-10) at Boston Red Sox (12-10) – 3:05 CT on CSN-C, MLBN 670 The Score
Game Thread and Series Preview
Your game thread is down in the comments, so let’s have some good, clean (safe-for-work) fun today.
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Starting Pitchers
Cubs: John Lackey (R): 4.88 ERA, 4.51 FIP, 3.42 xFIP; 3.25 K/BB
versus
Red Sox: Steven Wright (R): 8.66 ERA, 8.12 FIP, 5.16 xFIP; 2.25 K/BB
Boston Red Sox Lineup:
- Xander Boegaerts, SS
- Andrew Benintendi, LF
- Mookie Betts, RF
- Hanley Ramirez, DH
- Mitch Moreland, 1B
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
- Christian Vasquez, C
- Marco Hernandez, 3B
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
- Kyle Schwarber, DH
- Kris Bryant, 3B
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Ben Zobrist, 2B
- Jason Heyward, RF
- Addison Russell, SS
- Miguel Montero, C
- Albert Almora, 2B
- Jon Jay, LF
