Chicago Cubs vs. Miami Marlins preview, Friday 8/13, 6:10 CT

Friday notes...

• ANOTHER RECORD COULD FALL: Three times in Chicago Cubs history (2021, 2005, 1961), the team has had two different losing streaks of eight games or longer. This year, the team is currently on an eight-game loss streak to go along with the 11-game streak from June and July. No Cubs team has ever had two losing streaks of nine games or longer in a single season. They’ll have to win tonight to avoid that. The franchise record for the longest losing streak in a single season is 14 (1997).
• THE BAD, THE UGLY AND THE WORSE: So far in August, the Cubs are 1-10, hitting .220/.274/.331 with nine home runs. Cubs pitchers have a 7.94 ERA with an opponents OPS of 1.008 and 25 home runs allowed this month
• LOTS OF NEW GUYS: The Cubs have utilized a franchise-record 59 players this season, surpassing the 56 used in 2013. Ryan Meisinger made his season debut yesterday, becoming the 34th to make his Cubs debut this season — that’s tied for a single-season franchise mark, also in 2013. Prior to 2013, the record number was 30, set in 1902.
• ADDITIONAL ROMINE NOTE: I mentioned in yesterday’s game recap that Andrew and Austin Romine became the first Cubs brothers to appear in the same game since Rick and Paul Reuschel, May 30, 1978. They also became the first brothers to appear in a game at the same time for the Cubs since Hal and Danny Breeden, June 4, 1971 vs. Atlanta.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

The Marlins lineup was not available at posting time. Please check the BCB Twitter feed for the Marlins lineup.

Also of interest (time is ET):

Adbert Alzolay, RHP vs. Jesus Luzardo, LHP

USA TODAY Sports

USA TODAY NETWORK

If you have not yet read Sara Sanchez’ excellent article about Adbert Alzolay, check it out now.

To that I will simply add that Adbert had a nice outing last Saturday against the White Sox at Wrigley. Wasn’t enough to win, but that wasn’t his fault. He has never faced the Marlins or anyone on their active roster, so maybe that will be to his advantage.

Statcast

Jesus Luzardo was a top prospect with the A’s and threw pretty well for them in 2020 but this year he has been just plain bad, both with Oakland (6.87 ERA in 13 appearances) and after he was acquired by Miami in the Starling Marte deal (two starts, 9.31 ERA).

He has never faced the Cubs and the only Cub who has faced him is Robinson Chirinos (1-for-5), so we have almost no data to go on here.

Could be an interesting night.

Statcast

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. Here’s a list of providers currently carrying Marquee.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Marlins site Fish Stripes. If you do go there to interact with Marlins 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.