CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:
Cubs vs. Yankees
The Cubs and Yankees play a three-game set at Yankee Stadium after previously meeting here last June 10- 12 in a three-game sweep by New York .. Chicago has dropped its last seven games against New York since it’s last victory May 20, 2014, at Wrigley Field (6-1 win).
CUBS BACK IN THE BRONX: The Chicago Cubs tonight play the first of three games against the New York Yankees before heading into the All-Star break … this seven-game trip to close out the season’s “first half” started with a four-game set in Milwaukee against the Brewers, with the Cubs splitting the series including a 6-5 setback yesterday.
Chicago is 0-8 all-time in regular season play in the Bronx and 0-4 here in postseason play (1932 and 1938 World Series).
Chicago is 3-8 in its last 11 games since June 25 following a stretch in which it went 11-2 in 13 contests from June 9-24.
This is the 11th contest (3-7) of 13-straight gamedays leading into the All-Star break.
The Cubs are the only N.L. Central Division club with a positive run differential (+23) … Pittsburgh is at -43, St. Louis -36, Milwaukee -15 and Cincinnati -7.
IT’S BEEN A WILD RIDE: The last two weeks starting June 24 have seen the Cubs play in London (a series split with St. Louis), fly back to Chicago and deal with smoke from the Canadian wildfires during a three-game series vs. Philadelphia (0-3), then endure two lengthy rain-delayed games vs. Cleveland (1-2) followed by a wild four-game series in Milwaukee (2-2) in which each game was decided in a team’s final at-bat.
INTERLEAGUE INTERLUDE: Chicago is 13-14 in interleague play thus far, including 3-3 in its last six games dating to June 16 (2-1 series win vs. Baltimore & 1-2 series loss vs. Cleveland) … Chicago is 4-2 against the A.L. East with 2-1 series wins vs. Tampa Bay (May 29-31) and vs. Baltimore (June 16-18).
Chicago opens the season’s “second half” with a 10-game homestand that begins with three games against the Red Sox, July 14-16.
Mike Tauchman, who played 141 regular season games for the Yankees in 2019-20, has reached safely in each of his last 10 interleague contests dating to May 30 of this season.
STEALS GALORE: Nico Hoerner yesterday recorded his 20th stolen base of the season, becoming the third Cub since 2000 to reach 20 steals in his first 78 games in a campaign … Hoerner joins Eric Young Sr. in 2000 (26 SB) and Juan Pierre in 2006 (24).
SAVED BY THE BELL-INGER: Cody Bellinger enters tonight with a career-high tying 12-game hitting streak, done two other times (most recently May 24-June 5, 2019) … the left-handed hitting Bellinger is batting .467 (21-for-45) with a 1.079 OPS, three doubles, a homer, 10 runs scored and six RBI during this 12-game run dating to June 24 … his .467 average since June 24 is second in the majors (min. 40 PA) behind Houston’s Corey Julks (.474).
Bellinger’s 12-game hitting streak is the second-longest by a Cub this season (Christopher Morel – 13 games, May 9-24).
In 17 games since being activated from the injured list on June 15, Bellinger is hitting .359 (23-for-64) with 12 runs, four doubles. a homer and eight RBI.
THE COMEBACK CUBS: The Cubs on Wednesday scored three runs in the ninth inning to turn a 3-1 deficit in to a 4-3 win … the victory marked Chicago’s first when trailing entering the ninth inning this season (1-39).
ESPN Stats & Info points out that the Cubs had lost 112 consecutive games in which they trailed by multiple runs in the ninth inning or later, which was the second-longest active streak in the majors.
HE’S A (DOUBLE DIGIT) WINNER!: Dansby Swanson’s 2.9 WAR are second-most among N.L. shortstops and fourth among all shortstops, according to Fangraphs … Tampa Bay’s Wander Franco has a 3.8 WAR to pace the position.
Swanson on Tuesday hit his 10th home run of the campaign … since 2018, Swanson has reached double-digit homers in six-straight seasons, joining Xander Bogaerts as the only shortstops in the majors to accomplish the feat.
AMONG THE BEST: The Cubs are the only team in the major leagues in 2023 to sport three starting pitchers (min. 8 GS) with ERAs below 3.00 (Justin Steele – 2.56, Kyle Hendricks – 2.64 and Marcus Stroman – 2.96).
STARTING STUFF: Cubs starting pitchers have posted a 4.02 ERA (205 ER/458.2 IP) this season, the third-best mark among N.L. starting rotations and ninth-best in the majors … the rotation’s 53 home runs allowed are fourth-fewest in the majors, while the 1.22 WHIP is sixth.
Kyle Hendricks is 3-1 with 1.95 ERA (7 ER/32.1 IP) in his last five starts since June 10 … his 1.95 ERA since June 10 is the sixth-lowest mark in the N.L.
Chicago has 39 quality starts, second-most in the N.L. and seventh in baseball.
WHAT A RELIEF!: The Cubs bullpen has a 2.05 ERA (17 ER/74.2 IP) in the team’s last 21 games since June 13, the second-lowest mark in the majors in that span behind Philadelphia (1.77).
Julian Merryweather since April 17 has pitched to a 1.76 ERA (6 ER/30.2 IP) with one win and allowed 26 hits and 17 walks with 45 strikeouts in 32 appearances.
Michael Fulmer in 16 games since May 28 has pitched to a 0.98 ERA (2 ER/18.1 IP) with eight walks and 16 strikeouts.
Starting Pitcher – #50 RHP Jameson Taillon (2-6, 6.93)
Last Time Out
Jameson received a no decision July 2 vs. Cleveland after tossing 5.0 innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs while striking out six batters … had earned a decision in five-straight starts prior (2-3) … completed 5.0 innings or more for the sixth-straight start … has allowed four earned runs or more in three- straight starts and in four of his last five … has allowed a home run in five-straight starts … after a nine-start run of striking out five or less, has struck out eight and six in his last two starts respectively … has walked two or less in four-straight starts.
Date Opp. Result IP H R ER BB SO PC-S Left
7/2 CLE ND, 6-8 5.0 6 6 4 0 6 95-61 0-6
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 1-4 7.41 8 8 37.2 51 34 31 10 38
Road 1-2 6.23 6 6 26.0 26 20 18 10 21
AVG vs. LHB: .308 (41-for-133) / AVG vs. RHB: .284 (36-for-127)
Jameson will make his 15th start of the 2023 season today, his seventh on the road and first away from home in four starts … will make second career start against the Yankees (also, April 22, 2017 while a member of the Pirates) after spending 2021- 22 with them … has walked 20 batters, tied for the fourth-lowest mark among N.L. starters (min. 14 GS) … has walked two or fewer in 12 of his 14 starts this season … has a 5.85 ERA (21 ER/32.1 IP) since June 2 (six starts) after posting an 8.04 ERA (28 ER/31.1 IP) prior to then (eight starts).
Made his first quality start as a Cub June 13 vs. Pittsburgh (3 ER/6.0 IP).
Earned his first win as a Cub June 2 in San Diego (1 ER/5.2 IP) … had previously gone eight-straight starts without a win, the third time in his career that he had failed to win in at least eight-straight starts in the same season (last 9 G, April 14-May 27, 2018).
Walked two or fewer batters in 16-straight starts from Aug. 14, 2022-May 9, 2023 … at the time, marked the fifth-longest active streak among major league starting pitchers.
Began his stint on the 15-day injured list April 20 (retroactive to April 17) with a left groin strain … was activated on May 4.
Went 2-0 with a 3.93 ERA (8 ER/18.1 IP) with 23 strikeouts, compared to no walks, during Spring Training … was the only pitcher in the Cactus League with at least 10.0 IP to not walk a batter
NEW YORK YANKEES NOTES:
AT A GLANCE: The Yankees continue their seven-game homestand tonight with the first game of a three-game set vs. the Chicago Cubs (through Sun.), their final series before the All-Star break…are 2-2 on the homestand after splitting their four-game series vs. the Baltimore Orioles.
Are 7-5 in their last 12 games and 9-7 in their last 16 games (since 6/20).
Have won or split four of their last five series, 12 of their last 17 series (since 5/8) and 13 of their last 19 series (since 5/1).
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Yankees fell to the Orioles, 14- 1, on Thursday at Yankee Stadium…RHP Luis Severino (2.2IP, 10H, 7ER, 1BB, 3K, 1HR) started and took the loss…
Yankees pitchers allowed 14R, their third-most runs allowed in a game this season (15R on 4/30 at Texas and 6/16 at Boston)…CF Harrison Bader (1-for-3, 1BB) was the
only Yankee to reach base twice…LF Oswaldo Cabrera (1- for-1, 1R, 1 double) collected the Yankees’ only extra-base hit and scored the club’s only run on an error in the ninth inning…RHP Albert Abreu (0.2IP, 4H, 6ER, 3BB, 1HR, 1HP) allowed a career-high-tying 6ER (also 7/29/21 at Tampa Bay and 4/30/23 at Texas)…LF/RHP Isiah Kiner-Falefa (0-for-3 | 1.0IP, 1H) made his fourth career pitching appearance and tossed a scoreless ninth inning.
NATIONAL TREASURE: The Yankees are 13-7 (.650) in 20 Interleague games this season…marks the fourth-best record in Interleague play this year, trailing only Miami (20- 7, .741), Toronto (16-7, .696) and Philadelphia (19-10, .655).
NOBODY BEATS THE RIZZ: INF Anthony Rizzo has reached base safely in 20 of his last 21 games (since 6/11).
Has hit .455/.519/.773 (10-for-22) with 1 double, 2HR and 3BB in his career off RHP Jameson Taillon.
DARTH BADER: OF Harrison Bader is hitting .316/.357/.526 (12-for-38) with 5R, 5 doubles, 1HR, 9RBI, 2BB, 1HP and 1SF over his last 10 games (since 6/24)…has reached base multiple times in six of his last nine games.
WE WERE ON A BREAK: The Yankees will enter the All-Star break with a record of .500-or-better for the 27th consecutive season with an All-Star break (1996-2019,
’21-23)…marks the second-longest streak in Major League history behind the Yankees’ 31 straight seasons with an All-Star break from 1933-44, ’46-64.
Have posted a record of .500-or-better after the All-Star break in each of the last 29 seasons with an All-Star break (1993-2019, ’21-22), the second-longest such streak in Major League history, behind their own 31-year streak with an All-Star break from 1933-44, ’46-64.
HAWAIIAN PUNCH: INF/OF Isiah Kiner-Falefa is batting .359/.413/.564 (14-for-39) with 9R, 2 doubles, 2HR, 8RBI, 5BB, 2SF and 1SB over his last 13 games (since 6/22).
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: INF Anthony Volpe is batting .390/.405/.634 (16-for-41) with 10R, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2HR, 3RBI, 1BB and 1SB over his last 11 games (since 6/25).
Has multiple hits in six of his last 10 games.
Has reached base in 17 of his last 21 games (since 6/13), batting .333/.395/.565 (23-for-69) with 13R, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 3HR, 5RBI, 7BB and 2SB over that span.
BIG DADDY KANE: RHP Tommy Kahnle has not allowed a run in 14 appearances this year, posting a .114 opponents’ BA (5-for-44)…owns a career-high 18.2 scoreless inning streak (since 9/24/22).
WELCOME TO NEW YORK: LHP Carlos Rodón will make his Yankees debut in tonight’s series opener vs. the Cubs…last season, Rodón finished sixth in the NL Cy Young voting after going 14-8 with one complete game and a 2.88 ERA (178.0IP, 131H, 59R/57ER, 52BB, 237K, 12HR) over 31 starts with the San Francisco Giants…also posted career highs in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, double-digit strikeout games (11) and games started…led the Majors in K/9.0IP (11.98) and double-digit strikeout games (11), ranked second in WAR among pitchers (6.2, FanGraphs, second in NL), third in strikeouts (second in NL), fourth in opponents’ OPS (.571, second in the NL), fifth in opponents’ SLG (.308, second in NL), sixth in HR/9.0IP (0.61, fourth in NL) and eighth in opponents’ batting average (.202, fourth in the NL)…also ranked sixth in the NL in ERA, tied for ninth in wins and tied for 10th in games started.
In 152 career games (147 starts) across eight Major League seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2015-21) and San Francisco Giants (2022), has gone 56-46 with three complete games and a 3.60 ERA (847.1IP, 731H, 368R/339ER, 319BB, 947K, 91HR).
The two-time All-Star (2021 with Chicago-AL and 2022 with San Francisco) has finished in the top-six of Cy Young voting twice (fifth in 2021 and sixth in 2022).
Over the last two seasons (2021-22), has gone 27-13 with two complete games and a 2.67 ERA (310.2IP, 222H, 98R/92ER, 88BB, 422K, 25HR) in 55 starts…over that span, led the Majors in K/9.0IP (12.23) and opponents’ SLG (.307), ranked second in opponents’ BA (.196) and opponents’ OPS (.567), third in WAR among pitchers (11.1, FanGraphs), fourth in ERA (2.67), opponents’ OBP (.259) and doubled-igit strikeout games (16), fifth in HR/9.0IP (0.72), tied for sixth in wins and seventh in strikeouts.
In three combined rehab starts with Double-A Somerset and High-A Hudson Valley, went 0-1 with a 0.84 ERA (10.2IP, 1ER) and 17K.
MATCHING UP: The Yankees are 15-4 all-time vs. the Cubs in the regular season…are 11-1 in their last 12 games vs. the Cubs (since 6/18/11)…are 8-0 vs. the Cubs in the Bronx and 5-0 at the current Yankee Stadium.
PEN PAL: RHP Ron Marinaccio tossed a scoreless seventh inning on Thursday…has allowed just 1ER in his last 14 appearances (since 5/28), posting a 0.66 ERA (13.2IP, 1ER) in that span.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: LHP CARLOS RODÓN (14-8, 2.88 ERA IN 2022 WITH SF)
LHP Carlos Rodón will make his Yankees debut in tonight’s series opener vs. Chicago-NL…the 30-year-old will pitch on five days’ rest…is expected to be returned from rehab and reinstated from the 60-day injured list prior to tonight’s game…missed 88 team games…last pitched with High-A Hudson Valley on 7/1 vs. Wilmington, striking out eight batters over 3.2 scoreless innings (1H, 2BB, 1WP)…in three combined rehab starts with Double-A Somerset and High-A Hudson Valley, went 0-1 with a 0.84 ERA (10.2IP, 1ER) and 17K… commenced a rehab assignment with Somerset on 6/20 before being transferred to High-A Hudson Valley on 7/1…began the season on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to 3/27) with a left forearm strain and was transferred to the 60-day injured list on 6/1…finished sixth in the NL Cy Young voting in 2022 after going 14-8 with one complete game and a 2.88 ERA (178.0IP, 131H, 59R/57ER, 52BB, 237K, 12HR) over 31 starts with the San Francisco Giants…the two-time All-Star (2021 with Chicago-AL and 2022 with San Francisco) has finished in the top-six of Cy Young voting twice (fifth in 2021 and sixth in 2022)…over the last two seasons (2021-22), went 27-13 with two complete games and a 2.67 ERA (310.2IP, 222H, 98R/92ER, 88BB, 422K, 25HR) in 55 starts…over that span, led the Majors in K/9.0IP (12.23) and opponents’ SLG (.307), ranked second in opponents’ BA (.196) and opponents’ OPS (.567), third in WAR among pitchers (11.1, FanGraphs), fourth in ERA (2.67), opponents’ OBP (.259) and double-digit strikeout games (16), fifth in HR/9.0IP (0.72), tied for sixth in wins and seventh in strikeouts…tossed his first career no-hitter and the 20th no-hitter in Chicago White Sox history on 4/14/21 vs. Cleveland (9.0IP, 7K, 1HP)…was originally selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 16th round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft but did not sign and went on to play three seasons at North Carolina State University (2012-14)…was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the first round (third overall) of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft…signed a six-year Major League contract with the Yankees extending through the 2028 season on 12/21/22.
ON THE MEND: Made three combined rehab starts with Double-A Somerset and High-A Hudson Valley, going 0-1 with a 0.84 ERA (10.2IP, 1ER) and 17K…commenced a rehab assignment with Somerset on 6/20 before being transferred to High-A Hudson Valley on 7/1.
In two starts with Somerset, went 0-1 with a 1.29 ERA (7.0IP, 1ER) and 9K…made his first rehab start on 6/20 vs. New Hampshire, allowing 1ER over 3.0IP (L, 1H, 1BB, 5K)… tossed 4.0 scoreless innings in his second start on 6/25 vs. New Hampshire (ND, 1H, 0BB, 4K).
In one rehab start with High-A Hudson on 7/1 vs. Wilmington, struck out eight batters over 3.2 scoreless innings (1H, 2BB, 1WP).
NEW YORK, NEW YORK: Will make his Yankees debut and his first home start at Yankee Stadium tonight.
In four career starts at Yankee Stadium as the opposing starting pitcher, is 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA (25.0IP, 12H, 6ER, 11BB, 24K, 1HR) and 24K…has allowed 2R-or-fewer in each of his four starts…all four starts were quality starts.
Has allowed 5H-or-fewer in each of his four career starts at Yankee Stadium, including 3H-or-fewer in each of his last three starts.
Has allowed just 1HR in 98BF over his four career starts in the Bronx.
Made his last start at Yankee Stadium on 5/21/21 with Chicago-AL and did not record a decision despite tossing 6.0 scoreless innings (2H, 0BB, 13K).
VS. CHICAGO-NL: Has made seven career appearances (six starts) vs. the Cubs, going 2-3 with a 3.45 ERA (31.1IP, 25H, 12ER, 12BB, 53K, 3HR)…has allowed 2R-or-fewer in four of those starts and three of those starts were scoreless…has recorded 10-or-more strikeouts in four of his six starts.
Made two starts vs. Chicago-NL in 2022, going 1-1 with a 1.46 ERA (12.1IP, 2ER) and 21K…tossed 7.0 scoreless innings on 7/31/22 at Oracle Park (2H, 10K)…allowed 2ER over 5.1IP on 9/9/22 at Wrigley Field (3H, 1BB, 11K, 1HR).
Is 3-2 with a 4.91 ERA (11.0IP, 6ER) and 14K in three career games (two starts) vs. the Cubs at home.
