CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:
The Cubs and Nationals play seven games spanning two series this season … following this four-game set at Nationals Park, the teams will meet at Wrigley Field for three games, July 17-19 … Chicago has won the last two season series against the Nationals, going 4-3 in 2021 and 4-2 in 2022.
CUBS HEAD TO CAPITAL CITY: The Chicago Cubs tonight play the first of four games against the Washington Nationals to continue a seven-game trip that started with three games in Miami against the Marlins … Chicago dropped all three contests by one run apiece and tonight look to snap a season-high-tying three-game skid (also done April 1-3) … following this series the Cubs return home for a seven-day six-game homestand vs. Miami (3 G, starting Friday) and St. Louis (3 G, starting May 8).
The Cubs went 10-3 in 13 games from April 4-19, but have gone 3-7 in their last 10 dating to April 20.
Five of Chicago’s 13 setbacks have been by a single run … the team has nine losses this season after holding a lead, tied for the most in the N.L. with the Dodgers and Cardinals.
Tonight is the fourth game (0-3) of a stretch that sees the team on the road for 16 of 22 contests through May 21.
Chicago’s plus-43 run differential is tied for second the N.L. and tied fourth-best in the majors with Atlanta, trailing only Tampa Bay (+103), Texas (+72) and Pittsburgh (+48).
MARCH/APRIL RECAP: Chicago finished March/April with a 14-13 record, the team’s first winning record in March/April since going 15-12 in 2019 (the team was 11-15 in 2021 and 8-13 in 2022).
Cubs hitters ranked second in the majors with a .276 batting average, trailing only the Rays (.281) … the team’s 5.41 runs per game led the N.L. and was fourth in the majors … the club’s 21.4% strikeout rate was 10th lowest in the majors … the team’s 37 homers hit led the N.L. Central and were fourth in the N.L.
Cubs pitching posted a 3.64 ERA (97 ER/239.2 IP), the fourth-best mark in the N.L. and ninth in the majors … the starters had a 3.41 ERA (54 ER/142.1 IP), the second-best mark in the N.L. and fifth in baseball.
Cody Bellinger’s 22 runs scored are tied for the third-most by a Cub since 1901 through the end of April, surpassed only by Derrek Lee in 2008 (25) and Javier Báez in 2019 (23) … Nico Hoerner’s 39 hits are fourth-most through the end of April, surpassed by Mark Grace in 1988 (42), Lee in 2008 (40) and Starlin Castro in 2011 (40).
THIS AND THAT: The Cubs have scored at least one run in each of their first 27 games of the season, just the sixth time in the expansion era (since 1961) the team has gotten on the board in each of its first 27 contests … the longest season-opening streaks in this span: 47 G in 1995, 43 G in 2020, 40 G in 2012, 35 G in 1975 and 34 G in 1991.
The Cubs have allowed one home run in the last six games since April 25 (51.0 IP) and have not surrendered a homer in a season-high three-straight contests for the fourth time … Chicago last went four-straight games in a single season without allowing a long ball during a five-game run May 13-17 of last year.
CODY CALLS HIS SHOT: Cody Bellinger since April 4 has hit .342 (26-for-76) with 21 runs, five doubles, a triple, six home runs, and 14 RBI in his last 20 games, reaching safely in 19 of those contests … has scored a run in 15 of his last 17 games.
Bellinger has homered in each of his last two games and in four of his last seven dating to April 20.
Since April 4, Bellinger’s .671 slugging mark and 1.080 OPS are second among N.L. qualified hitters (Dodgers Max Muncy, .813 SLG & 1.265 OPS) … Bellinger has a 9.1% walk rate and 14.8% strikeout rate since April 4.
SMYLY ON THE BUMP: In his last 14 starts dating to Aug. 6 of last season, Drew Smyly is 6-3 with a 2.63 ERA (22 ER/75.1 IP), allowing 18 walks and striking out 70 … he’s allowed two or fewer runs in 12 of those starts.
Smyly’s 2.63 ERA since Aug. 6 of last year is third-best among N.L. hurlers (min. 14 GS), trailing only Arizona’s Zac Gallen (1.64) and the Dodgers Julio Urías (2.45).
NOBODY BEATS THE WIZ: Patrick Wisdom on Saturday belted his 10th homer of the season in the team’s 26th game … he’s just the sixth Cub to reach the 10-homer mark in 26 or fewer team games, joining: Gabby Hartnett in 1925, Hank Sauer in 1954, Billy Williams in 1970, Sammy Sosa in 2002 and Alfonso Soriano in 2011.
Since the start of the 2021 season, Wisdom has averaged one home run every 14.27 at-bats, the second-best rate among N.L. hitters with at least 900 plate appearances (Kyle Schwarber, 12.27).
DANSBY’S BEEN DANDY: Dansby Swanson has drawn 21 free passes this season, third-most in the N.L., while his 17.6% walk rate is fourth in the N.L. … entering this season, his career walk rate stood at 8.6%.
Swanson reached base safely three times Friday, the 11th game this season he’s reached base at least three times … those are the most in the majors … overall, his .412 season OBP ranks seventh in the N.L.
25 AND COUNTING: Nico Hoerner has reached base safely in his last 25 games dating to April 2 … that’s the third-longest active streak in the majors behind San Diego’s Xander Bogaerts (31) and Houston’s Yordan Alvarez (26) … Hoerner’s 25-straight games reaching safely is the longest by a Cub since Kris Bryant reached in 26-straight games April 17-May 17, 2019.
Since April 4, his .347 average (35-for-101) ranks fifth in the N.L. … his 35 hits are the most in the majors during that span.
His 39 hits are tied for the MLB lead, his 10 steals are tied for fourth in the N.L., his .328 average ranks sixth and his 21 runs scored are tied for sixth.
Starting Pitcher – #11 LHP Drew Smyly (2-1, 3.21)
Last Time Out
Drew received a no-decision April 26 vs. San Diego, allowing two runs on four hits in 5.0 innings … has allowed two runs or fewer and completed at least 5.0 innings in four-straight starts … has a 2.17 ERA (15 ER/62.1 IP) at Wrigley Field since the start of 2022.
Date Opp. Result IP H R ER BB SO PC-S Left
4/26 SD ND, 3-5 5.0 4 2 2 1 4 89-60 3-2
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 1-0 1.53 3 3 17.2 7 3 3 2 21
Road 1-1 6.10 2 2 10.1 13 8 7 4 6
AVG vs. LHB: .231 (6-for-26) / AVG vs. RHB: .187 (14-for-75)
Drew is scheduled to make his sixth start of the season today, his third on the road … has a 1.54 ERA (4 ER/23.1 IP) in his last four starts, allowing two runs or fewer in all four outings … is holding opponents to a .198 (20-for-101) with a 0.93 WHIP this season … opposing batters are hitting .196 (10-for-51) with 20 strikeouts against his curveball.
April 21 vs. Los Angeles (N.L.) retired the first 21 batters of the game, becoming the first Cub to take a perfect game bid into the eighth inning since José Guzmán (April 6, 1993 vs. Atlanta) … was the first Cub to record a start of 7.0-plus innings with one hit, no runs, no walks and at least 10 strikeouts since Kerry Wood’s 20-strikeout game (May 6, 1998 vs. Houston).
Went 0-2 with a 6.06 ERA (11 ER/16.1 IP) with a 13:2 SO:BB ratio during Cactus League play.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
No release available.
