NEWSLETTER
Well, here we are, amigos.
The Chicago Cubs are on the brink of getting swept for the second time this season, and starting the week just a singular game over .500. And, as a matter of fact, they are currently tied for first in the NL Central with the Reds (again), and hold just a half-game lead over the Cardinals. What the Cubs need today is an early lead from the offense and a dominant pitching performance from their starter.
Fortunately, the Cubs starter, Jon Lester, is their veteran ace and possibly the guy they’d most like to see out there today. Unfortunately, he’s failed to reach six full innings in each of his last three starts, and has allowed 12 earned runs (6.61 ERA) in the process. Walks (9) and homers (4) have bit Lester over that stretch, so here’s to him keeping the ball in the zone and away from the bats. That Yankees’ lineup is potent, and their team 133 wRC+ is best in baseball (by a lot).
Opposing Lester and the Cubs is the Yankees 23-year-old righty Luis Severino.
Severino first made his debut with the Yankees back in 2015, but appears to finally be settling in here in 2017 (joy). Through his first five starts (32.2 IP), Severino has recorded a 3.86 ERA (3.77 FIP) with a fantastic 28.1% strikeout rate and just 4.7% walk rate. In addition, opposing batters are hitting just .205 off Severino, though that’s at least partially due to his uncharacteristically low .238 BABIP (career .287). With that said, he’s actually stranding fewer batters (70.8% LOB) than he has for his career (73.2% LOB), so he might just be pretty good.
Let’s get a stop today, eh?
Game Info
Chicago Cubs (16-14) at New York Yankees (19-9) – 7:08 CT on ESPN, 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.
Starting Pitchers
Cubs: Jon Lester (L): 3.67, 4.06 FIP, 4.09 xFIP; 2.21 K/BB
versus
Yankees: Luis Severino (R): 3.86 ERA, 3.78 FIP, 2.86 xFIP; 6.00 K/BB
New York Yankees:
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Aaron Hicks, CF
- Matt Holliday, 1B
- Starlin Castro, 2B
- Aaron Judge, RF
- Did Gregorius, SS
- Chase Headley, 3B
- Austin Romine, C
- Luis Severino, P
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
- Kyle Schwarber, LF
- Kris Bryant, 3B
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Ben Zobrist, RF
- Addison Russell, SS
- Jon Jay, CF
- Willson Contreras, C
- Jon Lester, P
- Javy Baez, 2B
