Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds preview, Sunday 7/4, 12:10 CT

Today’s roster move: Here

Sunday notes:

• THE PROFESSOR: Kyle Hendricks is unbeaten in his last nine starts since May 16, going 8-0 with a 2.64 ERA (17 earned runs in 58 innings). Kyle’s nine-start unbeaten streak is the longest of his career and the longest by a Cub since Yu Darvish went 11 straight starts without a loss, April 27-June 21, 2019 (ironically, Darvish was 1-0 with 10 no-decisions during that stretch). More on Hendricks below.
• LOSING THE CLOSE ONES: The Cubs are 13-15 in 28 one-run games this season. The 28 one-run games are the third-most in the majors behind the Mets (31) and Phillies (29). Over the first eight games against the Reds this season, five have been decided by one run and six have been decided by two or fewer runs.
• SWIPING BAGS: The Cubs have 44 stolen bases this season, fifth in the NL and one short of the 45 the team stole in its last full season in 2019.
• THE KRAKEN: Craig Kimbrel has converted 90.2 percent of his save opportunities (368-for-408), the best rate in major league history for any reliever with at least 300 save opportunities. Joe Nathan is second (89.1 percent, 377-for-423) and Mariano Rivera is third (89.1 pecent, 652-for-732).

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Reds lineup:

Kyle Hendricks, RHP vs. Wade Miley, LHP

Kyle Hendricks had a personal eight-game winning streak snapped in his last start. He got a no-decision when the Brewers blew the Cubs out late, that was just a hint of what’s come since.

Kyle has not faced the Reds this year. Last year, when he had a fantastic season otherwise, the Reds absolutely pounded him:

2020, Hendricks vs. Reds: two starts, 9.58 ERA, 1.839 WHIP
2020, Hendricks vs. all other teams: 10 starts, 1.90 ERA, 0.873 WHIP

This would mainly appear to be a function of GABP, where Kyle has a career 6.67 ERA and 1.518 WHIP in 10 starts, with 10 home runs allowed.

I don’t know what else to say. You know Kyle’s been susceptible to the long ball this year and GABP is a launching pad.

Good luck, Kyle, You’re gonna need it.

Wade Miley threw a no-hitter May 7 against Cleveland. I am telling you this because I do not think Wade Miley is the sort of pitcher who could do that twice in one season, even against an offensively-challenged lineup like the Cubs’ right now.

He’s generally been pretty good this year apart from the start right after the no-hitter, when the Rockies pounded him for eight runs in three innings.

April 30 vs. the Cubs at GABP, Miley allowed two runs in five innings, one of which was a homer by Kris Bryant.

I don’t know what else to say. The Cubs appear doomed, but that’s why they play the games, to find out whether that’s true or not.

Statcast

Statcast

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. Here’s a list of providers currently carrying Marquee. Chris Myers will join Jim Deshaies for today’s broadcast.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. If you do go there to interact with Reds 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.