CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:
CALIFORNIA SUNSHINE: The Chicago Cubs today play game three of a six-game road trip in California, and the final game of this set against the Dodgers, following a walkoff 2-1 loss last night.
Jameson Taillon hurled 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out seven batters … the last time he had an outing with two or fewer hits and at least seven strikeouts was April 8, 2018 vs. Cincinnati, as a member of the Pirates … it was his first scoreless game of the season.
Patrick Wisdom launched a home run for the second-straight game, and the Cubs lone run of the game … he previously homered in back-to-back games on July 28-29 of last season.
The Cubs today look for their third series win of the season, in the fifth series of the year … the Cubs last won three series this early in the season in 2020, when they did so in the third set (July 31-Aug. 2) … in 2022, it took until the 11th series (May 13-15) and until the 10th series (May 4-5) in 2021 to register their third series victory.
CATCH HIM IF YOU CAN: Nico Hoerner last night recorded his eighth stolen base of the season, in the team’s 13th game, becoming just the second Cub (since 1901) to steal eight bags by the team’s 13th contest … in 1907, Jimmy Slagle picked up eight stolen bases in the team’s first 12 games … Slagle notched his ninth stolen base in team-game number 15. (h/t Ed Hartig and Jordan Bastian) © The Cubs have tallied 17 stolen bases so far this season, which is tied for the fifth-most in the majors and tied for third-most in the N.L. … their pace of 1.31 stolen bases/game is the third-highest in the majors.
SO FAR, A RELIEF: Cubs hitters have posted a .295 average (54-for-183) against relief pitchers this season, the highest mark in the majors … Chicago’s .366 on-base percentage against bullpen arms ranks second-best in the majors.
The Cubs are batting .273 against pitchers in all roles, the fifth-best average in the majors.
ABOUT THE ROTATION: Cubs starting pitchers have a 3.24 ERA (24 ER/66.2 IP) in the season’s early going, the second-best mark in the N.L. and fourth in the majors … through the first 13 games of last season, the rotation had a 5.98 ERA (and a 6.08 ERA through the first 14 games of last year).
In fact, Cubs pitching as a whole has posted a 3.70 ERA, good for seventh best in the majors and second best in the N.L.
PENNING SOME THOUGHTS: Chicago’s bullpen has tossed 50.0 innings thus far, the fourth-fewest innings in the majors … Twins relievers have thrown the fewest with 45.2 frames, followed by the Dodgers (47.2) and the Brewers (49.2) … Chicago’s relievers have recorded 10.80 strikeouts per game, tied for the best rate in the majors, and a 29.1% strikeout rate, the best mark in baseball..
Mark Leiter Jr. ranks fifth among N.L. relievers with 15.88 strikeouts per nine innings pitched (min. 5 G).
Keegan Thompson and Adbert Alzolay’s .074 opponents’ batting average against is tied for fifth among N.L. relievers (min 3 G) … Alzolay also ranks tied for third among major league bullpen arms (min. 3 G) with a 0.25 WHIP.
SCORE MORE: The Cubs have scored 5.38 runs per game, which ranks third-best in the N.L. and sixth-highest in the majors … Nico Hoerner is tied for fourth in the N.L. with 13 runs scored.
WORD TO THE WISE: Patrick Wisdom last night blasted a solo home run for the Cubs lone run of the game and his second long-ball in as many games … since the start of the 2021 season, Wisdom has averaged one home run every 14.66 at-bats, the third-best rate among N.L. hitters with at least 900 plate appearances (Kyle Schwarber, 11.99, and Pete Alonso, 14.45).
Wisdom’s 58 homers since the start of the 2021 season are the 11th-most among N.L. hitters.
POWER AND SPEED: Yan Gomes Friday recorded three hits, two of which were home runs, and a stolen base … he became the first Cubs catcher (since 1901) to deliver at least two home runs and a stolen base in the same game … in fact, he is just the 10th catcher in MLB history (since 1901) to acheive the feat, and the first since Brian McCann (ATL) did it on July 25, 2008.
What’s more? … to find the last Cubs catcher to record three hits, with one home run, and a stolen base we have to go back to Smoky Burgess who did it on May 26, 1951.
WILD WILD WEST: Chicago is in a stretch of 19 games (5-3) all against A.L. or N.L. West teams that started on April 7 against Texas and ends on April 27 against San Diego … in fact, the Cubs are in the eighth game (5-3) of 29-straight games outside of the division until hosting the Cardinals for three games, May 8-10.
THIS AND THAT: Nico Hoerner has an 11-game on-base streak and is hitting .354 (17- for-48) with three doubles, three RBI and a .404 on-base percentage during that span.
Ian Happ has reached safely in 11 of his first 13 games this season, hitting safely in nine of those … his .448 OBP ranks seventh and his six doubles rank tied for fourth in the season’s early going among N.L. hitters.
Cubs vs. Dodgers
The Cubs and the Dodgers face off seven times this season, with all of the games coming in a 10-day span … they start the season series with this 3-game set in Los Angeles (April 14- 16), then will meet in Chicago for four games next week (April 20-23) … the Dodgers have won seven of the last 10 season series.
Starting Pitcher
Last Time Out
Drew received a no-decision April 10 vs. Seattle, allowing one run 5.0 innings with seven strikeouts … held Seattle hitless for the first 3.1 innings of the game … struck out seven batters for the first time since Sept. 9, 2022 vs. San Francisco (eight) … six of his seven strikeouts came via the knuckle curve.
Date Opp. Result IP H R ER BB SO PC-S Left
4/10 SEA ND, 3-2 5.0 2 1 1 1 7 76-45 2-1
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 0-0 1.80 1 1 5.0 2 1 1 1 7
Road 0-1 11.57 1 1 4.2 9 7 6 2 3
AVG vs. LHB: .500 (3-for-6) / AVG vs. RHB: .250 (8-for-32)
Drew is scheduled to make his third start of the season today, first on the road … went 5-4 with a 4.23 ERA (29 ER/61.2 IP) in 13 road starts in 2022. © Went 0-2 with a 6.06 ERA (11 ER/16.1 IP) with a 13:2 SO:BB ratio during Cactus League play.
2022 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 2-4 2.42 9 9 44.2 37 15 12 11 40
Road 5-4 4.23 13 13 61.2 64 31 29 15 51
AVG vs. LHB: .191 (17-for-89) / AVG vs. RHB: .258 (84-for-326)
Drew in 2022 made 22 starts for Chicago and went 7-8 with a 3.47 ERA (41 ER/106.1 IP), striking out 91 batters compared to 26 walks … his 2.20 walks per nine innings was his lowest season rate since 2013 (2.01).
Was on the 15-day injured list from May 31-July 10 with a right oblique strain … left his start in game two of the doubleheader May 30 vs. Milwaukee.
Recorded the win at the at MLB’s Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa Aug. 11 … tossed 5.0 scoreless innings with four hits, two walks and nine strikeouts.
In five starts in Aug., he went 2-1 with a 0.90 ERA (3 ER/30.0 IP) … his ERA was tied for the second-lowest among qualified major league pitchers that month.
Beginning Aug. 6, allowed two or fewer runs in eight of his final nine starts, pitching to a 2.28 ERA.
Career Notes
Drew is in his second season with the Cubs after he was re-signed to a two-year contract in December of 2022 … joined the Cubs on a one-year contract for the 2022 season, beginning his second stint in Chicago … spent the 2018 season on the Cubs injured list while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
Is 53-48 with a 4.13 ERA (437 ER/953.1 IP), one complete game shutout and three saves over 241 career major league games (158 starts).
Has pitched in all or parts of nine major league seasons with Detroit (2012-14), Tampa Bay (2014-16), Texas (2019), Philadelphia (2019), San Francisco (2020), Atlanta (2021) and the Cubs (2022-23).
Won his first World Series championship with Atlanta in 2021 … was one of three Braves pitchers with 10-plus wins and one of four to start 20-plus games, going 11-4 with a 4.48 ERA (63 ER/126.2 IP).
Underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2017 … would miss the rest of 2017 and the entire 2018 season while rehabbing.
Set career highs in starts (30), innings (175.1) and strikeouts (167) with Tampa Bay in 2016.
Has been traded three times in his career, including as a part of the five-player, three-team deal that sent David Price from Tampa Bay to Detroit in July 2014.
Was selected in the second round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft by Detroit.
Pitched three seasons at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
LOS ANGELES DODGERS NOTES:
WALK IT OFF!: The Dodgers scored two runs in the ninth inning when pinch-hitter David Peralta delivered a two-out walk-off single, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 victory over the Cubs. Peralta’s walk-off was the Dodgers’ first of the season and the win sets up a rubber match with Chicago this afternoon in the series finale at 1:10 p.m. On this 76th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s breaking of the color barrier, the Dodgers improved to 16-3 on April 15 since Major League Baseball started officially celebrating the day in 2004 (including eight in-a-row (2015-23). As the six-game homestand (1-1) rolls on, the Boys in Blue will welcome the New York Mets to Dodger Stadium for three games next week, beginning with a 7:10 p.m. start tomorrow night. The Dodgers had four walk-off wins in 2022 and last night represented the seventh walk-off RBI and fourth-career walk-off hit for David Peralta. The Dodgers won all seven games vs. the Cubs last season, sweeping a three-game set in Chicago and taking all four contests at Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers outscored the Cubs 44-20 in those games and overall have won 11 of their last 12 vs. Chicago.
THE ACE: Dodger southpaw Julio Urías will take the ball for the Dodgers this afternoon as he looks to become the first four-game winner in Major League Baseball. Both Baltimore’s Kyle Gibson and the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole also have the opportunity to get to four wins today. Urías started the 2021 season 4-0 and wound up finishing with a 20-3 mark. His 40 wins since 2021 are the most in the Majors, ahead of Gerrit Cole (32), Dylan Cease (29) and Framber Valdez (29).
HOME RUNS TO THE MAX: Dodger third baseman Max Muncy went 0-for-3 with a walk last night, but is still tied with Ryan Mountcastle for third in the Major Leagues with six home runs, trailing just Pete Alonso (7) and Rafael Devers (7). Muncy’s 14 RBI are tied with Bryan Reynolds for third in the National League, trailing just Francisco Lindor (15) and Matt Olson (15). IN IT TO WYNNS IT: This morning, the Dodgers signed catcher Austin Wynns, who appeared in one game for the Giants this year and was designated for assignment on April 10. Wynns 32, hit .259 (42-for-162) with three homers and 21 RBI for the Giants in 2022 and has been in the Major Leagues parts of five seasons with Baltimore (2018-,19, 2021) and San Francisco (2022- 23), hitting a combined .230 (109-for-474) with 12 homers and 51 RBI. The backstop has a career .991 fielding percentage while throwing out 28.6% of potential base stealers. He was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2013 First Year Player Draft out of Fresno State University.
ROOKIE BALL: Dodger rookie outfielder James Outman went 1-for-4 with a single and scored the tying run in the ninth inning last night as his one-out single keyed the walk-off rally. Outman is slashing .279/.415/.628 with a 1.043 OPS while walking in nine of his 14 games with an atbat this season. He has reached base safely in 12 of his 14 games with an AB this year and his 10 RBI ranks fourth on the team, trailing just Max Muncy (14), Will Smith (12) and Trayce Thompson (11). Rookie infielder Miguel Vargas collected his first multi-hit game of the season last night and scored the game-winning run in the final frame after delivering a clutch one-out double that set the Dodgers up with two men in scoring position prior to the heroics by David Peralta. Vargas’ 13 walks this season rank third in the National League this season, trailing just Juan Soto (15) and Brandon Nimmo (14). Outman and Vargas have combined to score 15 runs this season, which is tied with Oakland’s pair of Ryan Noda (9) and Estuery Ruiz (6) for the most by a rookie duo in Major League baseball.
WALK THIS WAY: The Dodgers walked three times last night and rank second in baseball with 76 walks, two shy of the New York Mets. Los Angeles has recorded five or more free passes in 11 of its 15 games this season and the 76 walks are the third most in L.A. Dodger history through 15 games, trailing the 1960 squad (80) and the 1977 team (77).
DIGGING THE LONGBALL: The Dodgers failed to hit a homer for the just the third time this season last night, but still leads the National League with 26 home runs, trailing only the Tampa Bay Rays (35) for the most in the Majors. The club has recorded five 3+ homer games this season and also leads the NL with 83 runs scored, six triples (T-1st, ML), 55 extra-base hits (T-1st) and a .464 slugging percentage.
EVERYDAY HUSTLE: Dodger first baseman Freddie Freeman ranked second on the club and tied for ninth in baseball with 159 games played. Freeman is one of three Dodgers (Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez) to appear in all 15 contests this year. On this date in 1983, while playing for the Padres at Dodger Stadium, Steve Garvey appeared in his 1,118th consecutive game to set a National League record. The 10-time All-Star’s streak ended on July 29, 1983 after 1,207 consecutive games, which remains the NL record.
TODAY’S STARTER vs. CUBS: LHP JULIO URĺAS (3-0, 1.50 ERA in 3 GS)
2023 NOTES:
• In his start against the Rockies on April 4, he hurled six innings of shut-out baseball, tabbing his 600TH career strike out against Kris Bryant
• Tossed six innings on Opening Day against the Diamondbacks, giving up four hits and two earned runs while sitting down six
• Garnered a 1-1 record over three starts in Cactus League play, producing a 3.86 ERA (5 ER/11.2 IP) with six strikeouts against just three walks
• Key participant in the World Baseball Classic for Team Mexico, firing 9.0 innings in two starts against Colombia and Puerto Rico…struck out
nine batters and walked three while allowing just one earned run on two hits
VS. CUBS
• Allowed a season-high five runs in 2.0 innings against the Cubs last season…he is 1-1 with a 5.01 ERA (13 ER/23.1 IP) and 31 strikeouts in
six career games against the Cubbies
2022 NOTES:
• Produced a 17-7 record across 31 starts for a 2.16 ERA (42 ER/175.0 IP) with 166 strikeouts against just 41 walks…put out a 0.96 WHIP, his lowest mark since 2019 and did not deliver a wild pitch for the second time in his career (also 2018)
• Limited hitters to a .199 average, his lowest output since 2018…kept hitters to a .251 OBP, .347 SLG, and .615 OPS and totaled a 8.54 K/9
• Ranked amongst the National League best in several categories: wins (3rd, 17), ERA (2nd, 2.16), opponents average (6th, .199), WHIP (6th, 0.96), and win percentage (8th, .708)…was named to his second All-MLB Second Team and second year in the row
• Posted a strong second half record, going 9-1 in his final 13 starts of the year with a 0.88 WHIP and 1.26 ERA (11 ER/96.2 IP) paired with 72 strikeouts…went 4-0 in five starts in July, striking out 27 and walking just four en route to a 2.89 ERA (9 ER/28.0 IP)…later in August, also recorded a 3-0 mark in five starts to a 1.19 ERA (4 ER/30.1 IP) and 0.99 WHIP
• Started Game 1 of the NLDS, securing the Dodgers only win of the Postseason…pitched 5.0 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts
