After losing to the Cardinals 5-4 in 10 innings last night it’s easy to get down on the Cubs as we head into the final 9 games of the season. Cub fans should embrace this chance to go against the division rivals. What more could you ask for at the end of the season. The Cubs are playing meaningful, playoff type games as the 2019 season winds down. Last night’s loss officially leaves the Cubs out of the playoff picture if the season ended today. But there’s a lot of baseball left. The task is to beat the Cardinals (in all reality winning the next 3 at home is a tall task). The Cubs are 4 down to the Cardinals for the NL Central, and now trail the Brewers in the Wild Card Race by 1 game. The Cubs must win these next 3 games to have any chance at the division. They’ll head to Pittsburgh to play a weak Pirates team, then finish the season with 3 in St. Louis next weekend against the Cardinals. What more can you ask for? If the Cubs can’t beat the Cardinals head to head (5 out of 6, at the minimum) let’s face it they don’t deserve to make the playoffs. So forget about the Nationals and Brewers and who their playing. Winning these head to head games against St. Louis is all the Cubs need to worry about.
Friday September 20th @ 1:20pm – Wrigley Field
RHP
6–7, 4.76 ERA, 100 SO
Wacha threw five scoreless innings against the Brewers on Sunday but took a no-decision in a Cardinals loss. He allowed five hits, struck out one and walked none, making it one of his better starts of the second half.
RHP
1–0, 3.42 ERA, 27 SO
Mills has nine strikeouts, one run allowed and no walks in six innings out of the bullpen in September. The righty made a pair of spot starts in July, giving up five earned runs with 11 strikeouts and two walks in 10 1/3 innings combined.
Saturday September 21st @ 1:20pm – Wrigley Field
RHP
16–7, 3.35 ERA, 124 SO
Hudson limited the Nationals to two runs on five hits over seven innings on Monday. The right-hander is 6-1 with a 1.59 ERA over his last seven starts, while allowing just eight earned runs in 45 1/3 innings during that span.
LHP
13–8, 4.37 ERA, 144 SO
Quintana allowed five runs over 2 1/3 innings vs. the Pirates on Sunday, upping his ERA to 7.65 over his last five starts, spanning 20 innings. The left-hander is 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in two outings against St. Louis this season.
Sunday September 22nd @ 1:20pm – Wrigley Field
RHP
9–14, 4.29 ERA, 140 SO
Mikolas allowed three runs across eight hits in the Cardinals’ loss to the Nationals on Tuesday. He hasn’t won against the Cubs this year in three starts, but he has a 2.16 ERA in 16 2/3 innings pitched against Chicago.
RHP
6–7, 4.02 ERA, 217 SO
Darvish set a single-game club record on Tuesday with eight straight strikeouts against the Reds. The righty fanned 13 overall in seven innings but allowed four runs. He has 27 strikeouts in 13 innings over his last two outings.
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