CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:
Cubs vs. Marlins
The Cubs and Marlins play three games spanning two series this season … following this three-game set in Miami, the clubs meet at Wrigley Field for three games next weekend, May 5-7 … dating to 2016, the Cubs have won four of the last five regular season series against Miami.
CUBS LAND IN SUNSHINE STATE: The Chicago Cubs tonight begin a seven-game road trip with the first of three games in Miami against the Marlins … the sojourn will continue with four games against the Nationals in Washington D.C., starting Monday … Chicago yesterday took the rubber match of a three-game set against San Diego, 5-2, to complete a 3-4 homestand against the Dodgers (1-3) and Padres (2-1). © Chicago’s plus-46 run differential leads the N.L. and is third-best in the majors, trailing only Tampa Bay (+96) and Texas (+54).
The Cubs have played just eight road games this season, the fewest in the majors … tonight starts a stretch in which 16 of the team’s next 22 games through May 21 are on the road.
In the team’s next 41 games through June 11, the Cubs will face teams in the N.L. Central just twice: May 8-10 vs. St. Louis (3 G) and May 26-28 vs. Cincinnati (3 G).
COMFORTS OF THE ROAD: Tonight’s Cubs starter Marcus Stroman has posted a 1.41 ERA (12 ER/76.1 IP) in his last 13 road starts dating to April 26 of last season, recording nine quality starts in those outings.
Stroman’s 1.41 road ERA since April 26 of last year is tops in the majors, ahead of the White Sox Dylan Cease (1.87) and Toronto’s Alek Manoah (2.22) … Stroman’s 0.93 road WHIP in that span is third in the majors behind only Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan (0.89) and the Dodgers Tony Gonsolin (0.91).
22 AND COUNTING: Nico Hoerner has reached base safely in his last 22 games dating to April 2 … that’s the third-longest active streak in the majors behind San Diego’s Xander Bogaerts (29) and Houston’s Yordan Alvarez (24) … Hoerner’s 22-straight games reaching safely is the longest by a Cub since, well, last season when Christopher Morel reached in his first 22 career games played, May 17-June 10.
The last Cub to reach base safely in at least 23-consecutive games was Anthony Rizzo, who enjoyed a 23-game run from June 26-July 24, 2019.
Since April 4, Hoerner’s .360 average (32-for-89) ranks third in the majors … his 32 hits are the most in the majors during that span.
Hoerner’s 10 steals are tied for second in the majors, while his 36 hits are tied for third, his 21 runs are tied for fourth and his .336 average is eighth.
BACK TO BACK, EARLY AND OFTEN: Eric Hosmer and Nelson Velázquez yesterday delivered the fourth set of back-to-back homers for Chicago, in the team’s 24th game of the season … it’s just the second time the team has reached four back-to-back homers this quickly, as in 2004 the club needed just 10 regular season games to do so.
FLEXING OUR MUSCLES: The Cubs enter tonight having homered in a season-high eight-straight games … it is the team’s longest such streak since a nine-game run, Aug. 13-21 of last season … on the year, Chicago’s 33 homers rank fourth-most in the N.L. behind Los Angeles (45), Atlanta (40) and San Francisco (38).
GOMES’ BAT GETS GOING: Yan Gomes has reached based safely in each of his last nine games with hits in eight of them, including five multi-hit efforts … he is 16-for-38 (.421) with four home runs, nine RBI, nine runs scored, a .763 slugging percentage and a 1.199 OPS since April 11.
Tuesday he went 4-for-4 and hit his second home run in as many games … he previously homered in back-to-back games June 15-16, 2021 … he tallied four hits in a game for the fifth time in his career (first since Sept. 7, 2022 vs. CIN) and did so without recording an out for the second time (also Sept. 7, 2022).
DON’T SLEEP ON YAN’S DEFENSE: Yan Gomes, in addition to his offensive showing, threw out a runner in Tuesday’s win, his third caught stealing in as many attempts … he is the first Cubs catcher to have four-plus hits including a home run and catch a runner stealing since Henry Blanco did it July 24, 2005. (source: Elias)
The .201 opponents’ average with him behind the dish leads major league catchers who have caught at least half of their team games and his 3.02 catchers ERA is good for second.
ARM CARE: Cubs pitching has posted a 3.51 ERA (84 ER/215.2 IP) this season, the third-best mark in the N.L. and seventh in the majors … the starting rotation has a 3.06 ERA (43 ER/126.2 IP), the second-best mark in baseball behind Tampa Bay (3.00).
© Cubs relievers posted a 5.20 ERA (16 ER/27.2 IP) on the just-completed homestand after opening the year with a 3.67 ERA (25 ER/61.1 IP) through the teams first 17 games … the ‘pen has averaged 10.92 strikeouts per 9.0 innings, the second-best mark in the majors (Cardinals are first with an 11.51 rate).
TWO STRIKES? SO WHAT?: The Cubs lead the majors with a .222 average (102-for459), 57 RBI, a .297 on-base percentage and a .368 slugging percentage when batting with two strikes in the count … Chicago’s 15 home runs with two strikes are tied for the most in the majors with Tampa Bay and Atlanta.
Patrick Wisdom’s six home runs and 10 extra-base hits with two strikes on him lead the majors, while his 11 RBI are tied for the second behind Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies (12) .
TWO OUTS? SO WHAT?: The Cubs have hit 15 home runs with two outs in an inning, tied for second-most in the majors with Minnesota and trailing only Tampa Bay (18) … Chicago’s .273 batting average (76-for-278) with two outs is third-best in the majors behind St. Louis (.279) and Philadelphia (.279).
Patrick Wisdom’s five two-out home runs lead the majors … Ian Happ is batting .323 (10-for-31) with a homer and seven RBI with two outs in an inning.
Starting Pitcher – #0 RHP Marcus Stroman (2-2, 2.17)
Last Time Out
Marcus suffered his second loss of the season, giving up a season high six hits, five earned runs and three home runs (his first allowed home run of the season) … recorded his 1,000th career strikeout (Freddie Freeman looking) … had his four-straight quality start streak snapped … tied his career-high of three home runs given up in an outing.
Date Opp. Result IP H R ER BB SO PC-S Left
4/23 LAD L, 3-7 5.0 6 5 5 1 5 95-57 3-4
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 2-2 2.74 4 4 23.0 16 7 7 9 25
Road 0-0 0.00 1 1 6.0 2 0 0 2 5
AVG vs. LHB: .189 (10-for-53) / AVG vs. RHB: .160 (8-for-50)
Marcus is scheduled to make his sixth start of the 2023 season tonight and just his second on the road … dating to Aug. 30, 2022, has allowed one run or fewer in eight of his last 12 starts, pitching to a 2.15 ERA (17 ER/71.0 IP) … earned his 1,000th career strikeout in his last start … is in MLB’s 90th percentile of barrel percentage allowed.
Became the second Cubs starting pitcher since 1901 (also Jake Arrieta, 2016) with three outings of at least 6.0 scoreless innings in the team’s first 16 games.
Became the third Cubs starting pitcher since 1901 to allow two or fewer combined runs over his first four starts of a season (also Steve Stone, 1976; Jason Hammel, 2016).
Posted a 14.0-inning scoreless streak to begin the season, the fourth-longest by a Cubs pitcher since 1901.
Made his third career Opening Day start March 30 vs. Milwaukee (0 ER/6.0 IP), earning the win … improved to 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA (3 ER/21.0 IP) in his three career Opening Day starts.
In three Cacuts League starts with the Cubs, went 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA (1 ER/10.0 IP) and 10 strikeouts.
Made two starts for Team Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, posting a 3.00 ERA (3 ER/9.0 IP).
MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins tonight play the first game of a three-game series against the Cubs. Is the start of a six-game homestand which also includes a three-game set vs. the Braves from Tuesday-Thursday. Are coming off a seven-game road trip, taking two of three in Cleveland (including a doubleheader sweep last Saturday) and dropping three of four in Atlanta.
• After starting the year 1-4, the Marlins have gone 12-8 since.
• Lost three of four to the Mets in their first home series of the season, but have won six of nine home games since.
YESTERDAY’S RECAP
Miami came from behind for a 5-4 win in Atlanta. Trailed 4-0 entering the ninth before scoring 5 runs. DH Garrett Cooper recorded the game-winning hit – a two-run double. 2B Luis Arraez (2×4) and 3B Jean Segura (2×4) each had multi-hit games. LHP Braxton Garrett tossed 3.0 scoreless innings in the start before a 3-hr rain delay halted play. The final four Marlins pitchers (Okert, Smeltzer, Puk, Floro) combined to toss 5.0 scoreless and allow just two baserunners (1 hit, 1 walk).
OH, WHAT A NINTH
Yesterday’s victory was the first time in franchise history the Marlins entered the ninth inning trailing by four or more runs and won the game without going to extra innings. The win marked the team’s largest comeback win since last June 21 vs. Colorado (trailing 4-0, won 9-8) and largest on the road since last June 14 at Philadelphia (trailing 8-4, won 11-9).
• The 5-run ninth inning marked their most runs scored in the ninth since last May 11 at Arizona when they scored 8 runs to break a 3-3 tie.
HOME COOKING
In his last 4 starts at home (since Sept. 21, 2022), LHP Jesus Luzardo is 2-0 with a 1.52 ERA, allowing just 5 runs (1 home run) on 20 hits in 29.2 innings with 44 strikeouts and 9 walks.
IN A PINCH
Though early in the season, the Marlins have gone 4×14 in pinch-hit appearances this season. Is tied with Colorado for the second-most pinch hits among NL teams behind only Cincinnati (6).
INSIDE JOB
1B Yuli Gurriel raced around the bases in the ninth inning on Tuesday in Atlanta for the first inside-the-park-home run in MLB in 2023. Marked the 21st ITP homer in franchise history, second straight against Atlanta (Jazz Chisholm Jr., July 10, 2021 in Miami) and third overall against the Braves (also Derrek Lee, April 12, 2003 in Miami). Was the first ITP HR by a Marlins player in Atlanta and the first ever hit in Truist Park history.
• Marked his fourth career home run against RHP Jesse Chavez, his most against any opposing pitcher in the league (second-most is 3 HR against four different pitchers, including teammate Jesus Luzardo).
FLASHBACK FRIDAY
Tonight, as Miami takes on the Cubs, the Marlins will harken back to their 2003 NLCS win against Chicago. In addition to wearing their 1993 teal pinstripe throwback uniforms, the Marlins will welcome alumni members Mike Lowell and Brad Penny, who were members of the 2003 Championship team. • The Marlins are 2-0 this season when wearing the throwback unis.
STOP… HOMER TIME
The Marlins have scored 37 of their 85 runs this season via home runs (43.5%). Have hit 26 homers total over the first 26 games, homering in 18 of the contests, including 10 of their 13 road games.
CATCH US IF YOU CAN
The Marlins have stolen 23 bases this season, tied for seventh most in the Majors (tied for fourth in NL). Have been caught just three times, the second-best SB pct. in the Majors (88.5%) behind only Boston (91%). Since the start of the 2020 season, the Marlins have combined to steal 164 bases on the road – the most for any Major League team over the stretch.
• CF Jazz Chisholm Jr. has stolen 9 bases this season (in 10 attempts) – the most SB on the team and fifth-most in the NL.
GOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS
2B Luis Arraez has 34 hits in his first 22 games of the year (20 starts), with 11 multi-hit games (tied for third-most in MLB). Only Ronald Acuña Jr. (37), Bryson Stott (37), Nico Hoerner (36), and Bo Bichette (36) have more hits among Major Leaguers. Arraez’s .425 batting avg. (34×80) is tops in the Majors among all qualified hitters, and more than 60 points higher than the second-best (Chapman, .364).
• Trails only Dee Gordon (38, 2015) for the most hits by a Marlins player through their first 22 gms of a season in club history. His batting avg. is tops in club history through 22 gms.
• Only one Marlins player has owned a .400 avg at the end of April – Dee Gordon in 2015 (.409).
• Has struck out 5x in 89 PA (.056 K/AB), lowest mark in the Majors among quailfied batters.
CUBANO GIGANTE
OF/DH Jorge Soler has already collected 8 doubles and 5 HR in his first 23 games of the year. His 13 XBH are tied for tied for seventh-most in the National League, just two behind league-leader J.D. Martinez (15).
• Compiled a stretch of 10 consecutive hits going for extra bases from March 31-April 19 which tied Giancarlo Stanton (2010) for the second-longest such streak in franchise history behind Todd Hollandsworth (11, April 25-May 10, 2003).
• 4 of his 5 HRs in ‘23 have tied the game or given the Marlins the lead; the Marlins are 4-0 when he homers.
GREAT WHEN LATE
The Marlins offense is batting .283 (82×290) in the seventh inning or later, the second-best mark in the Majors this
season beind only Houston (.299). 38 of Miami’s 85 runs scored this year (44.7%) have come in these final three
innings, including 9 of the club’s combined 26 home runs.
DANCING ON A THIN LINE
Thus far in 2023, Miami is 13-0 when limiting opponents to 4 runs or less and has gone 0-13 when allowing 5 or more runs.
TURNING THE TRENDING TIDE
The Marlins are 7-0 in one-run games in 2023, marking the most consecutive wins in games decided by one run to start a season in franchise history. Are the only team yet to lose a one-run game this season.
• Miami played 64 games decided by one run in 2022, the most such games in the Majors last season. Miami’s 40 one-run losses were the most in a season in club history, the most since the 1975 Astros (41), and just three shy of the single-season record for one-run losses during the Live Ball Era (since 1920) held by the 1968 White Sox (44).
TODAY’S STARTER – #44 JESUS LUZARDO
• Jesus Luzardo, 25, will make his fifth start of the season and fourth career start against the Chicago Cubs today. Owns a 2.89 ERA (18.2 IP/6 ER) with 23 strikeouts.
• In 2 starts vs. CHC in 2022, combined to go 13.2 innings and allow just 1 run (0.66 ERA). Last faced at loanDepot park on Sept. 21, when he tossed 6.2 innings and struck out 11 batters.
• In 12 starts after returning on Aug. 1, went 2-4 with a 3.03 ERA, allowing 24 runs in 71.1 innings. Pitched 6.0+ innings in nine of 12 outings. Allowed two runs or less in nine of those outings.
• Opposing batters hit 1×36 (2B) in 0-2 counts vs. Luzardo in 2022. Struck out 21 of 36 batters (58%) in that situation.
• Went 2-2 with a 2.64 ERA (58.0 IP/17 ER) in 10 away starts in 2022 with 71 strikeouts vs. 1-5 with a 4.25 ERA (42.1 IP/20 ER) with 49 strikeouts in 8 starts at home.
• On Tuesday, April 12, 2022 he set a career high with 12 strikeouts in just 5.0 innings of work at Angel Stadium in his first start of the season. Became the first pitcher in franchise history to strike out 12 batters in a start that lasted no more than 5.0 innings.
• In his final four starts of 2022 (Sept. 16 – Oct. 3), posted a 1.85 ERA (24.2 IP/5 ER) with 45 strikeouts, including 6.0 scoreless innings and a career-high matching 12 K’s in his last outing against Atlanta.
• Pitched at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, located in Parkland, Fla., approx. an hour and a half north of loanDepot park.
• Became a Florida Special Olympics ambassador in 2022 by promoting and supporting all champions at the Miami Race for Inclusion at Bayfront Park.
