CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:
Cubs vs. Cardinals
The Cubs and Cardinals play 12 games spanning four series this season … Chicago dropped two of three to St. Louis at Wrigley Field May 8-10 …following this series in London the teams have a four-game set at Wrigley (July 20-23) and finish with four games in St. Louis (July 27-30) … the Cubs are looking for their first season series win vs. St. Louis since going 14-5 against the Cardinals in 2017.
CUBS-CARDS ACROSS THE POND: The Chicago Cubs tonight play the St. Louis Cardinals in the first of two games at London Stadium … this will be the first time the Cubs play a regular season game in London, but not their first time playing games in Great Britain … during the 1888-89 offseason, the Cubs (then known as the White Stockings) and a select team, called the All-Americans, participated in an around-the-world baseball tour that included games in England.
London Stadium will be the 127th ballpark in which the Cubs will have played a regular season game … Chicago is 65-60-1 in debut games at ballparks … the team has played games in 23 states within the US, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, two Canadian Provinces (Quebec, Ontario) and Japan (Tokyo).
Mike Tauchman is the lone current Cub to have played in London before, having done so with the Yankees in 2019.
CURRENT EVENTS: Chicago is 10-2 in its last 12 games since June 9 … after finding themselves a season-high tying 7.5-games back in the N.L. Central Division following June 8’s loss at the Angels, the team has erased 3.5 games from the standings, currently 4.0 games behind the Reds (41-35).
Chicago is six-games over .500 (14-8) in its last 22 games starting May 29.
This is the 20th contest (12-7) in a stretch that began June 2 in which the Cubs play 15 of 21 games on the road … this stretch wraps up here in London.
The Cubs are the only N.L. Central Division club with a positive run differential (+26) … Pittsburgh is at -41, Milwaukee -20, Cincinnati -13 and St. Louis -10.
TURF MONSTERS: London Stadium features an artificial playing surface for this London Series between the Cubs and Cardinals … Chicago has played just three games on artificial turf this season, all coming during a three-game set against the Marlins in Miami April 28-30 (0-3).
OPEN AND SHUT CASE: Including shutouts in the first two games of the Pirates series earlier this week, Chicago’s nine shutouts are the most in the N.L. and tied for second-most in the majors with Tampa Bay behind only Toronto (10) … Chicago had 11 shutouts in 2022.
TAUCHING THE TAUCH, WALKING THE WALK: Mike Tauchman in his last 11 games since June 10 has hit .325 (13-for-41) with 12 runs scored, two doubles, two homers, eight RBI, eight walks and a .429 OBP.
HE’S A WINNER!: Dansby Swanson’s 2.7 WAR is tied for the most among N.L. shortstops with the Giants Thairo Estrada and is tied for third among all shortstops, according to Fangraphs … Tampa Bay’s Wander Franco has a 3.3 WAR and Toronto’s Bo Bichette is sporting a 2.8 WAR.
SERIES STUFF: The Cubs have won four-straight series at San Francisco (2-1), vs. Pittsburgh (3-0), vs. Baltimore (2-1) and at the Pirates (3-0) … this matches the team’s season-high series winning streak, also done April 7-19 vs. Texas (2-1), vs. Seattle (2- 1), at Dodgers (2-1) and at Oakland (3-0).
STARTING STUFF: Cubs starting pitchers have posted a 3.77 ERA (166 ER/396.2 IP) this season, the top mark among N.L. starting rotations and fifth-best in the majors … the rotation’s 1.20 WHIP is seventh among major league teams. © Marcus Stroman leads the N.L. with a 2.28 ERA … Drew Smyly’s 3.38 ERA ranks 10th.
Chicago has recieved 34 quality starts, tied for second-most in the N.L. behind San Diego (35) and tied for seventh-most in baseball.
BULLPEN BITS: Adbert Alzolay has posted a 0.98 ERA (2 ER/18.1 IP) in his last 15 games since May 6, walking three, striking out 16 and posting a 0.76 WHIP … Julian Merryweather since April 17 has pitched to a 1.01 ERA (3 ER/26.2 IP) with one win and allowed 21 hits and 13 walks with 41 strikeouts in 27 appearances.
Mark Leiter Jr. has averaged 13.50 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (47 SO/31.1 IP), the fifth-best mark among N.L. relievers (min. 25 appearances).
Michael Fulmer has not allowed an earned run in his last 11 appearances since May 28, tossing 11.0 innings with a 0.91 WHIP … he has walked five and struck out 12 in the span.
BASEBALL SAVANT POINTS OUT…: Cubs rightfielder Seiya Suzuki ranks in the 93rd percentile of average exit velocity this season at a 92.8 mph mark … Suzuki’s 52.2 percent hard-hit rate ranks in the 93rd percentile of all players … on the other side of the ball, Suzuki’s outfielder jumps rank in the 95th percentile of players.
I MEAN, IT HAD TO TURN AT SOME POINT: The Cubs are 8-for-15 (.533) with a hit by pitch and a walk with the bases loaded dating to June 9 … prior to this, the team had been 0-for-10 in their previous 10 plate appearances with the bases loaded dating to May 23.
Looking further back, prior to June 9, the team had just one hit in its 22 at-bats with the bases loaded dating to the eighth inning April 29.
After going 0-for-15 with RISP June 11 in San Francisco, the team has batted .360 (32-for-89) in that situation in nine games … that also includes a .456 OBP and .551 slugging mark with RISP.
Starting Pitcher – #35 LHP Justin Steele (7-2, 2.71)
Last Time Out
Justin was activated from the injured list to make his first start since May 31 on June 17 vs. Baltimore … earned his seventh win of the season, allowing two or fewer runs for the third time in his last four starts … allowed a home run for the first time since April 14 at Los Angeles (N.L.), spanning 53.0 innings, which was the longest active stretch in the majors.
Date Opp. Result IP H R ER BB SO PC-S Left
6/17 BAL W, 3-2 5.0 5 2 2 1 4 74-54 3-2
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 5-1 2.57 8 8 42.0 38 13 12 11 32
Road 2-1 2.90 5 5 31.0 23 12 10 6 30
AVG vs. LHB: .236 (13-for-55) / AVG vs. RHB: .227 (48-for-211)
Justin is scheduled to make his 14th start of the 2023 season today … has posted a 2.13 ERA (26 ER/109.2 IP) since July 22, 2022, which is the lowest ERA in the majors during the run (min. 20 GS) … his 2.71 ERA in 2023 is the third-lowest in N.L (min. 10 GS) … opposing batters are hitting .189 (17-for-90) with 28 strikeouts off his slider.
Posted a 53.0-inning stretch without allowing a home run from April 14-June 17, which was the longest active streak in the majors.
Left his start May 31 vs. Tampa Bay after 3.0 perfect innings with left forearm tightness … was placed on the injured list June 3 (retroactive to June 1) and was activated June 17.
Had a 17-start streak of allowing three earned runs or fewer at Wrigley Field from April 24, 2022-May 10, 2023 … pitched to a 2.20 ERA (23 ER/94.0 IP) during
the run … his 2.20 home ERA during the stretch was the third-lowest in the N.L.
Went eight starts before suffering his first loss of the season May 16 in Houston … allowed a season-high five runs in the outing … at the time of his first loss, was the only pitcher in the N.L. with at least six wins and zero losses.
Allowed two or fewer earned runs in 14-straight starts from July 22, 2022-May 5, 2023, tied for the second-longest stretch in Cubs franchise history (since 1901), behind Jack Taylor’s streak of 15 games June 13-Aug. 14, 1902 (tied with Jake Arrieta, 14 G, 7/30/15-4/4/16).
Went 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA (4 ER/13.2 IP) with 13 strikeouts in four Cactus League starts in 2023 … started and tossed the first 2.0 innings of the Cubs combined no-hitter, March 3 at San Diego.
ST. LOUIS CADINALS NOTES:
LONDON CALLING: The St. Louis Cardinals are taking part in a two-game series in London, England this weekend when they host the Chicago Cubs in the MLB World Tour 2023 London Series at London Stadium, site of the 2012 Olympics and current home of West Ham United Football Club of the English Premier League … The Cardinals have gone 4-2 on their 11-day, eight-game international road trip through Queens, New York (2-1) and Washington, D.C. (2-1).
THE CLASH: The Cards and Cubs resume their 13-game season series tonight after St. Louis took two-of-three at Wrigley Field in May.
- Each of the first five games between the Central Division rivals this season will be played outside of the city of St. Louis … The Cubs do not travel to Busch Stadium until a four-game series from July 27-30, the latest in the season that the Cubs will play their first game in St. Louis since Aug. 13-15, 2010.
- The division-rivals were slated to play in London in 2020 before the pandemic cancelled much of the MLB season … The Yankees and Red Sox played the first regular season games in Europe in 2019 at London Stadium and combined for 65 hits, 10 home runs, and 50 runs scored.
BE A GOLDFISH: Winners of four of their last five, the Cardinals enter today in last place in the NL Central, 9.5 games behind 1st place Cincinnati and 4.0 games behind 4th place Pittsburgh … St. Louis has spent 60 of 87 days in last place on this season’s MLB schedule (April 26-May 19 and May 29-present) … This season is the Cardinals slowest start since beginning 31-44 (.413) in 1990.
GLOBETROTTERS: The London Series is the Cards first trip to Europe and 2nd regular season game outside of the USA or Canada … St. Louis and Cincinnati played the 2019 Mexico Series at Estadio de Beisbol in Monterrey, Mexico.
- Other Cardinals showcase games include the 1997 Padres Paradise Series in Honolulu, Hawaii against San Diego and the 2017 Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania vs. Pittsburgh.
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN: Reigning National League MVP Sir Paul Goldschmidt today becomes the first Major League player in history to play regular season games in five countries (USA, Australia, Canada, Mexico, & England), tying a record for the most of any player of the four major North American sports … With the first appearances of Adam Wainwright, Jordan Hicks, and Giovanny Gallegos in London, the three pitchers join the 16 other MLB players with four countries (previously pitching in USA, Canada, and Mexico).
HERRERA ADDED TO ROSTER: Prior to tonight’s series opener in London, the Cardinals announced that they added C Iván Herrera to the active roster as the 27th Player and LHP JoJo Romero and RHP James Naile to the Taxi Squad.
A JOLLY GOOD TIME: The only known regular season game between the two franchises played outside of the cities of St. Louis or Chicago before this weekend was October 15, 1892 at Exposition Park in Kansas City … The final regular season game was scheduled for St. Louis, but Kansas City President Spears and a local banker offered St. Louis $1,000 for a transfer of the game … Hall of Famer Cap Anson and the Chicago Colts won 1-0 over the St. Louis Browns in front of approximately 1,000 fans
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP ADAM WAINWRIGHT (3-1, 5.56)
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Makes his 9th start of the season & 466th career appearance (399th career start).
- His start in England marks his 4th different country to appear in during the regular season (USA, Canada, Mexico), tying Wade Miley and Trevor Cahill for most countries by a pitcher in MLB history. Adam pitched against the Blue Jays in Toronto and in Montterrey vs. the Reds during the 2019 Mexico Series. – Elias
- According to Adam, his last name “Wainwright” means ‘wagon maker’ in old English.
- With his 466th career appearance today, passes Bill Sherdel for sole possession of 3rd all-time in franchise history behind Bob Gibson (528) and Jesse Haines (554).
- Today is Wainwright’s 399th career start, ranking 3rd all-time among Cardinals pitchers Bob Gibson (482) & Bob Forsch (401). Waino’s 399 career starts, all with St. Louis, rank 13th-most, excusively with one organization in MLB history, while Gibson (482) ranks 6th. Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators leads at 666.
- Is two wins shy of 200 career, 12 wins from 210 (T-2nd all-time Cardinals history with Jesse Haines), and two starts away from reaching 400 career.
- With wins in his next two starts, Wainwright can become the 14th pitcher who have debuted in Expansion Era (1961-present) to win 200 games before making their 201st career start, joining Pedro Martinez, Jim Palmer, Charlie Hough, Tom Seaver, Roy Halladay, Ferguson Jenkins, David Wells, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, and Curt Schilling.
- At age 41, Waino is one of four active players age 40+ with Rich Hill (43), Nelson Cruz (42) and Miguel Cabrera (40).
- Has pitched between 5.0+ innings in all eight starts this season, while departing with the lead in five of his eight outings.
- Missed the first 33 games of the season due to a groin injury he suffered while working out during the WBC Finals. Made two injury rehab starts for Springfield (AA) and one for Memphis (AAA).
LAST TIME OUT
- Hurled a season-high 6.1 innings for a victory in last Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Mets at Citi Field. Marked his 465th career appearance (tying Bill Sherdel for 3rd all-time in = in franchise history) and his 198th career win.
- All three runs came off home runs by Brandon Nimmo (leadoff, first pitch) and Luis Guillorme
