Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Game 1 preview, Tuesday 5/4, 1:20 CT

Today's roster move: Here

Here’s how coverage of these games is going to work here today.

This game preview is posting at the usual time for a 1:20 p.m. CT start. Unless there’s something highly unusual that happens in Game 1, there won’t be a separate recap of that game this afternoon. As of now, a preview of Game 2 will post at 4:30 p.m. CT, subject to change if Game 1 runs really long.

All the game threads, including tomorrow morning’s recap and Heroes & Goats, for both of today’s games will reside in a single StoryStream.

In the meantime, the Cubs gained half a game on first place in the NL Central when the Brewers lost Monday, and are also now tied for fourth place with the Pirates, who also lost.

Here are last night’s notes again, since they are still valid!

• HISTORY: Sunday’s game marked the first time the Cubs and their opponent both homered five or more times since the historic 23‐22 game, May 17, 1979, vs. the Phillies at Wrigley Field.
• LOTS OF RUNS: Cubs hitters have scored 30 runs in the last four games, with at least 10 hits in three of those games, combining to hit .325 (49‐for‐151) with 19 extra-base hits (11 doubles, one triple, seven home runs).
• MORE HITTING: The Cubs are the only team in the majors with three players with at least seven home runs apiece. Kris Bryant is tied for the major league lead with nine home runs while Javier Báez and Willson Contreras have seven each.
• ON THE OTHER HAND, YIKES: Cubs starting pitchers posted a 9.53 ERA (30 earned runs in 28⅓ innings) on the just completed seven‐game trip, walking 15, striking out 28 and allowing 12 home runs. The bullpen recorded a 4.11 ERA (14 earned runs in 30⅔ innings) on the trip, including a 2.96 mark (eight earned runs in 24⅓ innings) in the first six games prior to allowing six earned runs in 6⅓ innings Sunday in Cincinnati.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Dodgers lineup:

Kyle Hendricks, RHP vs. Clayton Kershaw, LHP

This is a change in pitchers for the Dodgers. Originally Walker Buehler was going to start Monday in the series opener. He’s been pushed back to Wednesday to face Jake Arrieta.

Instead, Clayton Kershaw will face Kyle Hendricks. So, you get to read last night’s preview of Hendricks again!

Five starts this year for Hendricks.

Against Brewers: 12 innings, 1.50 ERA, 1.000 WHIP, 12 strikeouts
Against Pirates/Braves: 10⅔ innings, 14.34 ERA, 2.625 WHIP, eight home runs

Now you explain that to me. It’s like Jekyll-and-Hyde Hendricks.

He last faced the Dodgers June 14, 2019 and... oh, wait, that didn’t go well either.

I’ve given up guessing about Kyle. Hope we get the good one this afternoon.

Clayton Kershaw is having an excellent start to his 2021 season. He had a rough outing on Opening Day at Coors Field and since then: five starts, 1.09 ERA, 0.727 WHIP, .122 opponents BA.

That’s... really outstanding, even better than Kershaw in his prime in the mid-2010s.

Lifetime vs. the Cubs: 11 starts, 2.74 ERA, 1.188 WHIP in 69 innings.

You will probably remember one key Hendricks vs. Kershaw matchup, Game 6 of the 2016 NLCS. That worked out real well for the Cubs. Is it too much to ask for a repeat?

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. Here’s a list of providers currently carrying Marquee. It’s also on MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Dodgers market territories).

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Dodgers site True Blue LA. If you do go there to interact with Dodgers 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 2021 Game Thread procedure will be a bit different than previous years. It will be similar to what we’ve used for Spring Training.

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 post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, 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 the overflow thread 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 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.