Friday notes:
- ALL FOR YU: Since the start of the second half of 2019, Yu Darvish has posted a 2.51 ERA (42 earned runs in 150⅔ innings) in 24 starts with just 20 walks compared to 206 strikeouts. More on Darvish below.
- THE OTHER LEAGUE: The Cubs are 10-7 vs. the AL this season, 13-7 in their last 20 interleague games and 16-9 in their last 25 dating to June 19, 2019. Since the start of 2016, the Cubs are 62-35 (.639) in interleague play, the best mark in the NL and second in the majors behind the Red Sox (64-33/.660). They could pass Boston this weekend if they sweep the White Sox and the Braves sweep the Red Sox.
- EVEN AFTER PITTSBURGH, THIS IS STILL TRUE: The Cubs have fared better offensively on the road this season. The club has posted a .231 average (188-for-813) with 35 homers in 24 road games, compared to a .210 average (211-for-1,003) with 30 homers in 33 home games.
- FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY: David Ross made his final career regular season start at Wrigley Field, smashing a home run [VIDEO] in the Cubs’ 3-1 win over the Cardinals.
Here are today’s particulars.
Cubs lineup:
A big series on the South Side to wrap up the regular season! pic.twitter.com/z9Xxk73XEH
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 25, 2020
White Sox lineup:
Back at home for the @Wintrust Crosstown Series! Tonight's #WhiteSox starters.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 25, 2020
⏰: 7:10 p.m.
: @NBCSChicago & ESPN2 (out-of-market only)
: MyTeams App https://t.co/V5EGlRn2NU
: @WGNRadio pic.twitter.com/Zh0vzXzVfu
Yu Darvish, RHP vs. Dylan Cease, RHP
This pitching matchup is a rematch of the game August 23 at Wrigley Field. Yu Darvish allowed a second-inning home run to Jose Abreu, but that was it in seven strong innings. Darvish struck out 10.
The Cubs scored their two runs that day on a two-run homer by Kyle Schwarber. Remember when the Cubs could do that?
Anyway, here are the two pitchers’ numbers since that August afternoon:
Darvish: five starts, 32 innings, 2.81 ERA, 1.094 WHIP, seven walks, 44 strikeouts, .230 opponents BA
Cease: five starts, 22 innings, 4.09 ERA, 1.136 WHIP, 10 walks, 20 strikeouts, .192 opponents BA
Pretty close, but I’ll give the edge to Darvish.
Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. Here’s a list of providers currently carrying Marquee. It’s also on NBC Sports Chicago with the Sox announcers, and on ESPN 2 outside the Cubs and White Sox market territories (announcers Karl Ravech, Rick Sutcliffe and Tim Kurkjian).
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation White Sox site South Side Sox. If you do go there to interact with White Sox fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2020 Game Thread procedure will be the same as the one used in previous years. Here’s how it works.
You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every thread related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.
You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at one hour, two hours and 2:45 after the scheduled game time.
Discuss amongst yourselves.