On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Cardinals series preview

Cubs/Cardinals games are always intense, no matter where the teams are in the standings.

Now, with a three-game deficit entering this series. these games take on even more importance.

Here’s more on the Cardinals from Josey Curtis, managing editor of our SB Nation Cardinals site Viva el Birdos.

With the National League Central very much up for grabs, the Cardinals are on the North Side this weekend to take on the Cubs in a four-game series. Entering Thursday, the Cardinals hold a three-game lead over the Cubs and Brewers in the division and have a magic number of eight. Chicago and Milwaukee are also tied for the second Wild Card spot, 1½ games behind Washington.

St. Louis’s youngest (and best, lately) starters will take their turns this weekend, with Jack Flaherty and Dakota Hudson starting on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Flaherty was the National League Pitcher of the Month for August, and Hudson has a sub-2.00 ERA over his last seven outings. A recent offensive spark plug has been 24-year-old utility man Tommy Edman, who has three homers in his last seven games. Second baseman Kolten Wong has been the team’s most consistent hitter of the second half and is batting .288 (19-for-66) in September.

Fun fact

The Cubs are 6-0 against the Cardinals at Wrigley Field this year and outscored them in those six games 37-16.

Pitching matchups

Thursday: Kyle Hendricks, RHP (11-9, 3.26 ERA, 1.117 WHIP, 3.73 FIP) vs. Jack Flaherty, RHP (10-8, 3.05 ERA, 1.033 WHIP, 3.64 FIP)

Friday: Jose Quintana, LHP (13-8, 4.37 ERA, 1.340 WHIP, 3.87 FIP) vs. Michael Wacha, RHP (6-7, 4.76 ERA, 1.529 WHIP, 5.69 FIP)

Saturday: Cole Hamels, LHP (7-7, 3.92 ERA, 1.416 WHIP, 4.21 FIP) vs. Dakota Hudson, RHP (16-7, 3.35 ERA, 1.392 WHIP, 4.99 FIP)

Sunday: Yu Darvish, RHP (6-7, 4.02 ERA, 1.110 WHIP, 4.29 FIP) vs. Miles Mikolas, RHP (9-14, 4.29 ERA, 1.225 WHIP, 4.26 FIP)

Times & TV channels

Thursday: 6:15 p.m. CT, Fox-TV (regional — coverage map)

Friday: 1:20 p.m. CT, ABC7 Chicago, MLB Network (outside Cubs and Cardinals market territories)

Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, WGN, MLB Network (outside Cubs and Cardinals market territories). This is WGN-TV’s final Cubs broadcast from Wrigley Field.

Sunday: 1:20 p.m. CT, NBC Sports Chicago, TBS (outside Cubs market territory, should be available in Cardinals market territory)

Prediction

Like the Cubs, the Cardinals struggle on the road. As noted above, they are winless in Wrigley this year. These pitching matchups are about as good as the Cubs could have hoped for. They have to take three of four, I think, to give themselves any shot at winning the division. I think they’ll do it.

Up next

After an off day Monday, the Cubs head out for their final 2019 regular-season road trip. It starts with a three-game series against the Pirates in Pittsburgh beginning Tuesday evening.