NEWSLETTER
In … WEST PHILADELPHIA, the Cubs will play … Oh. Oh, no. It’s a home series. Well now I look silly.
In …. West Philadelphia for three games, at the ballpark is where they'll spend most of their days. #Cubs pic.twitter.com/jF0EzeXZXl
— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) June 5, 2018
Also, apparently the Phillies play in South Philly. Test post. Please ignore.
*Shuffles papers around.*
The Cubs are hosting the Phillies for three at Wrigley Field this week, and they’ll actually still face some good pitching, despite the good fortune of missing Jake Arrieta, who just pitched on Sunday. The Cubs do have some momentum on their side, though, plus Kyle Hendricks is going tonight, and he’s become one of the most consistent pitchers on the Cubs staff. And since they’re also at home for all three and Jose Quintana is coming off a good start … yeah, put me down for the Cubs taking two of three.
We’re Going Streaking
The Chicago Cubs (33-23)Â just swept the Mets in New York, and have now won three series in a row. They’re two games behind the Brewers in the NL Central.
The Philadelphia Phillies (31-26)Â were just swept by the Giants in San Francisco after splitting a four-game set with the Dodgers. Before that they lost a three-game series to the Blue Jays and took two of three from the Braves. They’ve fallen behind the surging, second-place Nationals in the standings and are 2.5 games out of first in the NL East.
Game Times and Broadcasts Info
Chicago Cubs
Probable Pitchers:
Active Depth Chart:
Unavailable:Â Eddie Butler, Yu Darvish, Carl Edwards Jr.
Philadelphia Phillies
Probable Pitchers:
Active Depth Chart:
Unavailable: Rhys Hoskins, Pat Neshek, Jerad Eickhoff, Pedro Florimon, J.P. Crawford
Keep an Eye Out For …
Cubs Pitcher: Tyler Chatwood looked a whole lot better in his last start (5.1 IP, 4H, 2ER), which was essential, given the back-to-back control meltdowns that preceded it. He still walked (4) more guys than he struck out (3), but the results were there, and there was a visible improvement in the control department. Hopefully, with Yu Darvish still out, Chatwood can keep our confidence in him up and deliver another usable performance.
Cubs Player: Addison Russell has been heating up lately, but left Sunday’s game with a strained/bruised finger sustained on a swing. Hopefully, he’ll not only return this week, but be unaffected at the plate. He had begun to turn things around offensively and was even approaching the Is he finally breaking out offensively? questions.
Phillies Pitcher: Aaron Nola is having himself a year. Obviously he had a very good season last year and has always had promise, but he’s on another level this season. Through his first 12 starts, Nola has a 2.18 ERA, which is the fifth lowest mark in baseball, and a 2.62 FIP, which is the seventh lowest. He’s also gone 6.0 or more innings in ten straight starts, gets a ton of ground balls, doesn’t walk anybody, strikes plenty of batters out, allows no hard contact, and generates a ton of soft contact. He’s been very, very good in every way you want a starting pitcher to be good.
Phillies Player: Odubel Herrera is the Phillies best hitter this season, but he’s not the most terrifying best hitter: .305/.366/.471 (130 wRC+). He doesn’t walk too often (7.8%) and he doesn’t hit for much power (.167 ISO). There’s no question that he’s good, but in terms of the best hitter on your team, the Cubs have faced worse. Indeed, the Phillies’ team 91 wRC+ is the seventh lowest in MLB.
