Later today, the Chicago Cubs will kick off the 2022 MLB season with Kyle Hendricks on the mound making the third Opening Day start of his career.
Hendricks had a rough go of it last season (especially against the Brewers, who slashed .308/.357/.571 against him for a 6.14 ERA), but I still have confidence in The Professor, who’s still only 32-years-old. He’s got a lot of good baseball ahead of him, and hopefully he gets off on the right track today. But it won’t be easy.
The Brewers lineup isn’t particularly intimidating – especially depending on which Christian Yelich shows up this season – but it is loaded with five lefties. And lefties hit .287/.362/.530 against Hendricks last season. Apparently, that changeup wasn’t quite doing its job. Again, I believe in Hendricks to make the necessary changes this season, but it was a short spring training, following a hectic offseason, and he doesn’t usually get off to fast starts. Here’s hoping that changes this year.
On the other side, the Cubs drew Corbin Burnes, the 2021 NL Cy Young award winner. And what are you going to say? He’s one of the best pitchers in baseball right now, he held the Cubs to a .198 wOBA last season (LOL), and righties couldn’t touch him in 2021: .179/.232/.245; 36.2% strikeout rate, 5.4 BB%. Not that lefties were much better.
The Cubs lineup is more contact-centered this year, and Seiya Suzuki is a huge wild card, but this is going to be a tough one for the Cubs to steal.
Brett, Luis, Eli, Bryan, and I will all be there in right field, so stop by to say hi and … GO CUBS!
Game Info
Milwaukee Brewers (0-0) at Chicago Cubs (0-0) – Thursday, April 7 at 1:20 CT on Marquee, 670 The Score
Bet of the Day:
My Cubs bet of the day today is coming from DraftKings, who had a profit boost up to +140 for no runs scored in the first inning. Given that Corbin Burnes is on the mound for the Brewers, I feel pretty good about the bottom half of the first (sorry, Cubs). And although Hendricks struggled MIGHTILY in the first inning last year (7.59 ERA), it’s cold and rainy out there. Maybe he can keep the ball in the park for three outs.
I’m only going to include this section when I, personally, make a bet. So, yeah, I took this one. Let’s go, pitchers. Sign up for DraftKings online right here.
Starting Pitchers
Brewers: Corbin Burnes (R)
versus
Cubs: Kyle Hendricks (R)
Chicago Cubs (Lineup Discussion):
1. Rafael Ortega, DH
2. Nick Madrigal, 2B
3. Willson Contreras, C
4. Ian Happ, LF
5. Frank Schwindel, 1B
6. Seiya Suzuki, RF
7. Jason Heyward, CF
8. Patrick Wisdom, 3B
9. Nico Hoerner, SS
Milwaukee Brewers:
1. Kolten Wong, 2B
2. Willy Adames, SS
3. Christian Yelich, LF
4. Andrew McCutchen, DH
5. Rowdy Tellez, 1B
6. Hunter Renfroe, RF
7. Omar Narváez, C
8. Lorenzo Cain, CF
9. Jace Peterson, 3B