The Cubs just can’t stop winning, can they?
They’ve now won 14 of their past 17 games and are 24 games over .500 in the second half of the season (48-24). Imagine how good we would’ve felt if they got off to this sort of start at the beginning of the year. I mean, their .667 second-half winning percentage is a 108-game win pace, for Pete’s sake!
They’re roaring into the postseason.
Jon Lester makes his final start of the season today, and given his tumultuous second-half, but solid last start, you really, really want to see him do well. I’m not so sure he’s really a legitimate option for game 1 anymore, but he’ll almost certainly pitch at some point in the NLDS (especially given Arrieta’s setback), so healthy and effective is what we’re rooting for no matter what.
Opposing Lester is Reds rookie Jackson Stephens. Stephens has made just three starts and three relief appearances in his Major Leauge career, but his last one was a good one against the Red Sox: 6.0 IP, 2H, 1ER, 2BB, 3Ks. Let’s see if the Cubs have more answers for him than Boston did.
Game time is 3:05 CT. Enjoy it while you can, because starting soon every pitch will be a nightmare or a dream.
Game Info
Chicago Cubs (91-69) at Cincinnati Reds (67-93) – 3:05 CT on CSN-C, 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): 4.46 ERA, 4.20 FIP, 3.90 xFIP; 2.88 K/BB
versus
Reds: Jackson Stephens (R): 3.86 ERA, 5.72 FIP, 4.93 xFIP; 2.67 K/BB
Cincinnati Reds:
- Billy Hamilton, CF
- Eguenio Suarez, 3B
- Joey Votto, 1B
- Scooter Gennett, 2B
- Adam Duvall, LF
- Scott Schebler, RF
- Jose Peraza, SS
- Stuart Turner, C
- Jackson Stephens, P
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
- Ian Happ, CF
- Kris Bryant, 3B
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Willson Contreras, C
- Kyle Schwarber, LF
- Addison Russell, SS
- Jason Heyward, RF
- Javy Baez, 2B
- Jon Lester, P