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 … prior to Friday’s win, Chicago had dropped seven-straight games against New York after it’s previous victory May 20, 2014, at Wrigley Field (6-1 win).
CUBS WRAP UP “FIRST HALF” WITH RUBBER MATCH: The Chicago Cubs today close out the season’s “first half” with the rubber match of a three-game set in New York against the Yankees … Chicago won Friday’s series opener 3-0 before New York took yesterday’s tilt 6-3 … the Cubs are 3-3 in the first seven games of this trip that started with a four-game series split in Milwaukee against the Brewers.
The Cubs sit at 41-47 with one game remaining before the break … last year’s club finished the “first half” with a 35-57 record then went 39-31 coming out of the All-Star Game.
Chicago is 4-9 in its last 13 games since June 25 following a stretch in which it went 11-2 in 13 contests from June 9-24.
This is the final contest (4-8) 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 -48, St. Louis -34, Milwaukee -14 and Cincinnati -8.
Coming out of the All-Star break, the Cubs will have a 10-game homestand against Boston (3 games, starting Friday), Washington (3 games beginning July 17) and St. Louis (4 games starting July 20).
HENDRICKS ON THE BUMP: 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 third-lowest mark in the N.L. and sixth in the majors.
Since making his big league debut in 2014, Hendricks has a 3.26 interleague ERA (73 ER/201.1 IP) in 35 starts … that’s the sixth-lowest interleague ERA in that span (min. 35 GS).
This marks Hendricks’ first career outing at Yankee Stadium … he’ll have six more current ballparks to check off the list, those in Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Seattle, Anaheim and Texas.
PESKY AT THE PLATE: Cubs batters are averaging 4.07 pitches per plate appearance, the highest rate in the majors ahead of Milwaukee (4.03) and Seattle (3.97) … Ian Happ’s 4.35 pitches per plate appearance are second-most in the majors behind San Diego’s Ha-Seong Kim (4.44).
Nico Hoerner’s 11.4% swing-and-miss rate is the second-best lowest in the majors among qualified hitters behind only the Marlins Luis Arraez (7.5%).
PITCHING IN: Jameson Taillon on Friday night became the fourth Cub this season to pitch at least 7.2 shutout innings with one hit allowed, joining Drew Smyly (April 21 vs. LAD), Marcus Stroman (May 29 vs. TB) and Kyle Hendricks (June 10 at SF) … just two others in the majors have turned that trick: the White Sox Michael Kopech (May 19 vs. KC) and the Yankees Domingo Germán (no-hitter, June 28 at OAK).
Just one other season since 1901 has Chicago recorded four outings of at least 7.2 innings with one or no hits allowed … that would be in 1972 when Burt Hooton (no-hitter), Fergie Jenkins, Bill Hands and Milt Pappas (no-hitter) did so.
FIRST THING FIRST: Chicago has scored first in exactly half (44) of its first 88 games, going 26-18 (.591) in those contests … the .591 winning percentage in games in which the team scored first is fourth-lowest in the majors.
STARTING STUFF: Cubs starting pitchers have posted a 4.00 ERA (209 ER/470.2 IP) this season, the third-best mark among N.L. starting rotations and ninth-best in the majors … the rotation’s 55 home runs allowed are tied for fourth-fewest in the majors, while their 1.20 WHIP is sixth.
Chicago has 40 quality starts, second-most in the N.L. (San Diego, 41) and seventh in baseball.
INTERLEAGUE INTERLUDE: Chicago is 14-15 in interleague play thus far, including 4-4 in its last eight games dating to June 16 … Chicago is 5-3 against the A.L. East including 2-1 series wins vs. Tampa Bay (May 29-31) and vs. Baltimore (June 16-18).
Mike Tauchman, who played 141 regular season games for the Yankees in 2019-20, has reached safely in each of his last 11 interleague contests dating to May 30 of this season.
THE TRIUMVIRATE: 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).
WHAT A RELIEF!: The Cubs bullpen has a 2.15 ERA (19 ER/79.2 IP) in the team’s last 23 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.
Adbert Alzolay has posted a 1.90 ERA (5 ER/23.2 IP) in his last 20 games since May 6, walking three, striking out 25 and posting a 0.93 WHIP.
ALL GOOD THINGS…: Cody Bellinger yesterday had his career-high 13-game hitting streak snapped … the 13-game run, which started June 24, saw him bat .479 (23-for48) with a 1.167 OPS, three doubles, two homers, 12 runs scored and seven RBI.
In 19 games since being activated from the injured list on June 15, Bellinger is hitting .352 (25-for-71) with 14 runs, four doubles. two homers and nine RBI.
Starting Pitcher – #28 RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-3, 2.64)
Last Time Out
Kyle received his first no decision in five starts July 4 at Milwaukee … pitched 6.0 innings, allowing four hits and one earned run while tying his season-high of five strikeouts … was his third start of the year in which he pitched 6.0 innings or more and allowed one earned run or fewer … has not allowed more than three runs in a start this season … has posted a quality start in three-straight starts and in five of his last six … has allowed just five walks across his last six starts (38.1 IP).
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 1-2 3.80 4 4 21.1 23 11 9 5 13
Road 2-1 1.71 4 4 26.1 12 9 5 5 14
AVG vs. LHB: .186 (19-for-102) / AVG vs. RHB: .219 (16-for-73)
Kyle will make his ninth start of the 2023 campaign, his fifth on the road … has a 1.95 ERA (7 ER/32.1 IP) in his last five starts dating to June 10 at San Francisco …has tossed 6.0 innings or more in three-straight starts … has allowed just two home runs all season and is one of six pitchers in the majors to allow two or fewer this year (min. 8 starts) … his walk percentage is in MLB’s 90th percentile in 2023 … has held opponents to a .138 average (13-for-94) with 21 strikeouts against his changeup.
June 10 in San Francisco, carried a no-hit bid into the eighth … the 7.2 inning no-hit bid was the second-longest of his career (Sept. 12, 2016 at St. Louis, 8.0 IP).
Became the 12th pitcher in Cubs history to pitch for the Cubs in at least 10 season (last Kerry Wood).
Made his season debut May 25 vs. Mets (3 ER/4.1 IP), his first major league start since July 5, 2022.
Made five rehab starts with Triple-A Iowa, going 2-1 with a 5.75 ERA (13 ER/20.1 IP) … allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last three rehab starts, posting a
1.69 ERA (3 ER/16.0 IP) during those outings.
Began the season on the 15-day injured list, as he rehabbed from a capsular tear in his right shoulder that he suffered in July 2022.
NEW YORK YANKEES NOTES:
AT A GLANCE: The Yankees finish their seven-game homestand today with the final game of a three-game set vs. the Chicago Cubs (1-1 thus far), their final series before the All-Star break…are 3-3 on the homestand after splitting their four-game series vs. the Baltimore Orioles and splitting their first two games vs. the Cubs.
Are 8-6 in their last 14 games and 10-8 in their last 18 games.
Have won or split four of their last five completed series, 12 of their last 17 completed series (since 5/8) and 13 of their last 19 completed series (since 5/1).
Are 10-5 in rubber games this season…with a win today, it would mark the ninth time this season the Yankees won a series after dropping the series opener.
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Yankees defeated the Cubs, 6-3, on Saturday at Yankee Stadium…RHP Gerrit Cole (7.1IP, 5H, 3ER, 1BB, 5K, 1HR, 1WP) earned his ninth win of the season after allowing 3ER in 7.1IP…RF Giancarlo Stanton (2-for-3, 3R, 2HR, 3RBI, 1BB) recorded his 36th career multi-HR game and his first of the season, hitting a solo HR in the first inning and a two-run HR in the fifth…DH Josh Donaldson (1-for3, 1HR, 1RBI, 1BB) hit a solo HR in the second inning…CF Harrison Bader (1-for-4, 1 double, 2RBI) recorded a two-run double in the third inning…2B Gleyber Torres (2-for3, 2R, 1BB) reached base three times…RHP Michael King (1.2IP, 1K) earned his sixth save of the year after tossing 1.2 scoreless innings.
DARTH BADER: OF Harrison Bader hit a two-run double in the third inning on Saturday…has 7RBI in his last five games, 9RBI in his last eight games and 11RBI in his last 11 games.
Seven of his last 12 hits have gone for extra bases (6 doubles, 1HR).
As a Yankee, has hit .367/.370/.653 (18-for-49) with 5 doubles, 3HR, 33RBI, 2BB and 3SF with RISP.
Is hitting .289 (13-for-45) with 5R, 6 doubles, 1HR, 11RBI, 2BB, 1HP and 1SF over his last 12 games (since 6/24).
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.
FUN IN THE SUN: The Yankees are 24-9 (.727) in day games this season, the best record by any Major League team in day games this season.
NATIONAL TREASURE: The Yankees are 14-8 (.636) in 22 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).
OH MY JOSH: INF Josh Donaldson hit a solo HR in the second inning on Saturday…has 10HR in 30 games this season…10 of his 14 hits this year have been homers.
PEN PALS: Yankees relievers have posted a 3.06 ERA (341.0IP, 116ER), the lowest bullpen ERA in the Majors this season…also rank second in the Majors with a .218
opponents’ BA this season.
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: INF Anthony Volpe is batting .333/.360/.542 (16-for-48) with 10R, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2HR, 3RBI, 1BB and 1SB over his last 13 games (since 6/25).
Has multiple hits in six of his last 12 games.
Has reached base in 18 of his last 23 games (since 6/13), batting .303 (23-for-76) with 13R, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 3HR, 5RBI, 8BB and 2SB over that span.
NOBODY BEATS THE RIZZ: INF Anthony Rizzo has reached base safely in 21 of his last 23 games (since 6/11).
COLE TRAIN: RHP Gerrit Cole earned his ninth win of the season on Saturday vs. the Cubs after allowing 3ER in 7.1IP… is now 9-2 with a 2.85 ERA (117.0IP, 37ER) and 123K in 19 starts this season…Saturday marked the eighth time this season he started after a Yankees’ loss…the Yankees are 8-0 in those games with Cole going 5-0 with a 2.13 ERA (50.2IP, 12ER) in those starts.
Is tied for third in the Majors in innings pitched (117.0IP,second in AL), tied for fifth in winning percentage (.818, third in AL), ranks seventh in ERA (2.85, fourth in AL), tied for seventh in wins (nine, tied for third in AL) and is tied for ninth in strikeouts (123, tied for fifth in AL).
Has tossed at least 6.0 innings in 14 of his 19 starts…his 14 such starts are tied for the most in the AL and tied for the third-most in the Majors.
The Yankees are 14-5 in his starts this season…is one of four starting pitchers this season to have his team win at least 14 of his starts…joins Atlanta’s Spencer Strider (club is 16-2 in 18GS), Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan (club is 14-3 in 17GS) and Miami’s Braxton Garrett (club is 14-4 in 18GS).
Was named to his sixth career All-Star team via the player ballot, his fifth as a member of the American League and third with the Yankees (also 2015 with Pittsburgh, 2018- 19 with Houston and 2021-22 with the Yankees).
STANTON ISLAND: DH/OF Giancarlo Stanton recorded his 36th career multi-HR game and his first of the season on Saturday, hitting a solo HR in the first inning and a two-run HR in the fifth…marked his first multi-HR game since 5/12/22 at Chicago-AL (also 2HR).
His 36 multi-HR games since 2010 are the most in the Majors in that span (next: Manny Machado and Nelson Cruz – 35HR).
According to Statcast, his HR in the first inning on Saturday had an exit velocity of 118.1 mph…it marked his hardest hit this season and the third-hardest hit in the Majors, trailing only Matt Olson’s 118.6 mph HR on 4/11/23 vs. Cincinnati with Atlanta and Jake Burger’s 118.2 mph HR on 4/18/23 vs. Philadelphia with Chicago-AL…it marked his hardest hit since a 119.8 mph HR on 6/11/22 vs. Chicago-NL…his HR also had a projected distance of 447 ft., his second-longest HR this season (trailing only his 485 ft. HR on 4/2/23 vs. San Francisco).
15 of his 30 hits this season have gone for extra bases (6 doubles, 9HR).
Has 10RBI in his last 11 games.
Has reached base safely in 10 of his last 12 games, batting .275/.370/.550 (11-for-40) with 7R, 2 doubles, 3HR, 10RBI and 6BB in that span.
MATCHING UP: The Yankees are 16-5 all-time vs. the Cubs in the regular season…are 12-2 in their last 14 games vs. the Cubs (since 6/18/11)…are 9-1 vs. the Cubs in the Bronx and 6-1 at the current Yankee Stadium.
HOLMES SWEET HOLMES: RHP Clay Holmes has not \allowed a run in 23 of his last 25 games (since 5/6), going 4-0 with six saves, a 0.71 ERA (25.1IP, 2ER) and 34K in that span… his 0.71 ERA in that span is the second-lowest among all Major League pitchers (min. 20.0IP), trailing only Baltimore’s Félix Bautista.
31 of his 37 appearances this season have been scoreless.
BIG DADDY KANE: RHP Tommy Kahnle has not allowed a run in 15 appearances this year, posting a .125 opponents’ BA (6-for-48)…owns a career-high 19.2 scoreless inning
streak (since 9/24/22).
His 15-game scoreless streak to start the season is the third-longest in franchise history, trailing only Lee Guetterman’s 19-game streak in 1989 and Andrew Miller’s 17-game streak in 2015.
HAWAIIAN PUNCH: INF/OF Isiah Kiner-Falefa has reached Base in 11 of his last 13 games with an at-bat, batting .341/.408/.537 (14-for-41) with 9R, 2 doubles, 2HR, 8RBI, 6BB, 2SF and 1SB over that span (since 6/22).
GLEYBER DAY: INF Gleyber Torres reached base three times on Saturday…has reached base in 25 of his last 28 games (since 6/8-G1)…has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games (since 6/29).
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP DOMINGO GERMÁN (5-5, 4.52 ERA)
RHP Domingo Germán will make his 17th start of the season in today’s series finale vs. Chicago-NL…the 30-year-old will start on extended five days’ rest…last pitched on Monday vs. Baltimore and did not record a decision after allowing 3R/2ER in 4.1IP (9H, 0BB, 5K)…threw the 24th perfect game in Major League history and the fourth in franchise history on 6/28 at Oakland (9.0IP, 9K)…was the first Major League pitcher to throw a perfect game since Seattle’s Félix Hernández on 8/15/12 vs. Tampa Bay…was the first Dominican-born pitcher to throw a perfect game…has allowed 2ER-or-fewer in eight of his last 11 starts…allowed 2R-or-fewer in four straight starts from 5/1-16, tying the longest such streak of his career (also four straight starts from 7/27-8/12/22 and from 5/9-27-G1/21)…in 2022, went 2-5 with a 3.61 ERA (72.1IP, 65H, 31R/29ER, 19BB, 58K, 11HR) in 15 games (14 starts) with the Yankees…allowed 3R-orfewer in a career-high 12 consecutive starts from 7/27-9/30/22…missed the first 93 games of the season with right shoulder impingement syndrome…in six seasons with the Yankees, is 31-26 with a 4.40 ERA (499.1IP, 244ER) and 512K in 108 career games (86 starts)…was signed by the Yankees as a minor league free agent on 12/11/15…was originally acquired by the Yankees from the Miami Marlins along with RHP Nathan Eovaldi and INF Garrett Jones in exchange for RHP David Phelps and INF Martín Prado on 12/19/14.
LAST TIME OUT: Made his 16th start of the season on Monday vs. Baltimore and did not record a decision after allowing 3R/2ER in 4.1IP (9H, 0BB, 5K)…allowed RBI singles to Cedric Mullins (second inning) and Ryan O’Hearn (third inning) and an RBI double to Adley Rutschman (third inning)…has allowed 2ER-or-fewer in eight of his last 11 starts (since 5/1).
His 9H allowed marked a season high and his most since 6/13/21 at Philadelphia (10H).
VS. CHICAGO-NL/INTERLEAGUE: Will be making his first career appearance vs. the Cubs today…in two Interleague starts this season (4/4 vs. Philadelphia and 6/4 at Los Angeles-NL), has gone 0-1 with a 3.97 ERA (11.1IP, 5ER) and 14K.
Has gone 4-4 with a 4.24 ERA (80.2IP, 73H, 39R/38ER, 19BB, 81K, 14HR, 3HP) in 17 career Interleague games (15 starts).
Has made two career appearances (one start) vs. NL Central teams, going 0-1 with a 1.35 ERA (6.2IP, 1ER) and 5K.
HOME SWEET HOME: Is 2-4 with a 4.43 ERA (44.2IP, 22ER) and 48K in eight home starts this season.
Has gone 14-12 with a 3.95 ERA (239.0IP, 191H, 114R/105ER, 80BB, 262K, 47HR) in 52 career games (41 starts) at Yankee Stadium…has allowed 3ER-or-fewer in 35 of his 41 home starts.
Has held opponents to a .213 BA (191-for-895) at Yankee Stadium in his career, compared to a .246 BA (249-for-1014) on the road.
Has allowed 3R-or-fewer in 14 of his last 17 starts at home (since 6/30/21), including nine starts with 2R-or-fewer allowed.
His 12 wins at Yankee Stadium since 2019 are the third-most by any pitcher at the venue during that span, trailing only Jameson Taillon (13) and Gerrit Cole (21).
2023: Will make his 17th start of the season today…is 5-5 with a 4.52 ERA (85.2IP, 43ER) and 83K in 16 starts this season.
On 6/28 at Oakland, threw the 24th perfect game in Major League history and the fourth in franchise history (9.0IP, 9K), joining David Cone (7/18/99 vs. Montreal), David Wells (5/17/98 vs. Minnesota) and Don Larsen (1956 World Series Game 5 on 10/8/56 vs. Brooklyn)…marked his first career complete game…struck out Brent Rooker swinging in the first inning for his 500th career strikeout.
Allowed 1R-or-fewer in two straight starts from 6/4-10, marking the fifth time in his career he’s recorded consecutive such starts.
Allowed 2R-or-fewer in four straight starts from 5/1-16, tying the longest such streak of his career (also four straight starts from 7/27-8/12/22 and from 5/9-27-G1/21).
Was ejected on 5/16 at Toronto prior to the bottom of the fourth inning for violating MLB’s prohibitions on foreign substances and served a 10-game suspension from 5/17-27.
Did not record a decision on 5/1 vs. Cleveland despite allowing just 1ER over a career-high 8.1 innings (2H, 1BB, 6K)…allowed just three baserunners…after allowing a one-out single to Amed Rosario in the first inning, did not allow a hit to his next 25BF (1BB) before allowing the single to Steven Kwan in the ninth… became just the fifth Yankees pitcher (sixth time) in the last 22 years (since 2002) to toss at least 8.1IP and allow three-or-fewer baserunners…joined Gerrit Cole (2H and 1BB in 9.0IP on 4/16/23 vs. Minnesota), Corey Kluber (1BB in 9.0IP on 5/19/21 at Texas), Masahiro Tanaka (twice: 2H and 1BB in 9.0IP on 6/17/19 vs. Tampa Bay and 3H in 9.0IP on 4/27/17 at Boston) and Chien-Ming Wang (2H in 9.0IP on 4/11/08 at Boston).
Earned his first win of the season on 4/15 vs. Minnesota after recording a career-high 11K (6.1IP, 3H, 1ER, 0BB)…marked his third career double-digit strikeout game (also 10K on 7/25/21 at Boston and 6/14/18 vs. Tampa Bay)…marked the first time in his career he’s recorded at least 10K without surrendering a walk… marked his fifth career start with at least 8K and 0BB allowed, including his second this season (8K and 0BB on 4/4 vs. Philadelphia)…is the first Yankee to record at least 10K and 0BB in a game this season and the first since Gerrit Cole did so on 7/17/22 vs. Boston (12K and 0BB)…tossed 5.1 perfect innings before allowing a one-out single to Christian Vázquez in the sixth inning…his 11K matched the most by a Yankees pitcher this season (also Gerrit Cole on Opening Day vs. San Francisco).
