Chicago Cubs vs. Colorado Rockies Game 1 preview, Wednesday 8/25, 1:20 CT

SITE NOTE: Here’s how doubleheader game threads work at BCB. This is a normal game preview for a 1:20 p.m. CT start, and the first pitch threads and overflow threads will post at the usual times.

There won’t be a recap of Game 1 posted Wednesday afternoon (unless something unusual or historic happens). Instead, a preview with lineups and pitchers for Game 2 will post sometime before Game 2 starts. At this time I’m planning for 5 p.m. CT for that, but that could change depending on the length of Game 1.

A recap of both games will post at 8 a.m. CT tomorrow, Thursday.

Other Wednesday notes:

• LOTS AND LOTS OF LOSSES: The Cubs are 5-18 since the trade deadline, 5-21 in their last 26 games, 8-22 in their last 30 and 13-28 in their last 41. Overall, the team has dropped 45 of its last 61 contests dating to June 14.
• HAPP-ENINGS: Ian Happ has walked in three of his last four games and leads the team this season with 48 free passes. Including his solo home run last Wednesday in Cincinnati, Happ’s 76 career home runs are eighth-most among active NL switch-hitters.
• A TRADE DIVIDEND, ALREADY: Codi Heuer, acquired from the White Sox at the trade deadline for Craig Kimbrel, has posted a 1.50 ERA (two earned runs in 12 innings) in his first 10 outings with the team, holding opponents to a .179 BA (7-for-39) with a .267 OBP and a .549 OPS.
• QUALITY: The Cubs are 26-12 when receiving a quality start. The rotation is 26-7 with a 2.07 ERA (55 earned runs in 239⅓ innings) in their 38 quality starts this season. Cubs starters are 11-40 with a 6.79 ERA (291 earned runs in 385⅔ innings) in the team’s other 89 games.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Rockies lineup:

Zach Davies, RHP vs. German Marquez, RHP

USA TODAY Sports

USA TODAY NETWORK

Well, you know how I feel about watching Zach Davies pitch. Counting down the starts until he’s no longer on this team.

He faced the Rockies August 3 at Coors Field and got lit up for seven hits, two home runs and six runs in four innings. Now, maybe that’s Coors Field, I get it. But Davies has been somewhat worse at Wrigley (14 starts, 5.25 ERA, 16 HR in 72 innings) than on the road (12 starts, 4.77 ERA, four HR in 58⅔ innings).

So, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Statcast

Since Tuesday’s game was rained out, but not till after the preview posted, you get to read all this info about German Marquez again!

Marquez’ overall numbers are decent, but since the All-Star break: six starts, 5.19 ERA, seven home runs allowed in 34⅔ innings.

This seems to be the case for almost all the Rockies starters: Marquez is much better at home (3.13 ERA in 15 starts, 89 innings) than on the road (4.81 ERA in 10 starts, 58 innings). This goes a long way toward explaining the vast difference between their home record and road record.

Marquez last faced the Cubs in 2019, but as most of those players are gone, those games have little predictive value. David Bote is 3-for-6 with two homers off Marquez, for whatever that’s worth.

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 Rockies site Purple Row. If you do go there to interact with Rockies 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.