On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Padres series preview

Following games of April 17, the Cubs and Padres were both .500 ballclubs — the Cubs 4-4, the Padres 5-5.

Since then, the Padres are 14-5, the second-best record in the National League (Brewers, 15-5), and a half game better than the 13-5 Dodgers.

The Cubs are 5-14 since that date, saved from being the worst team in the NL by the woeful Reds (3-16).

None of this is good. The Padres rank eighth in MLB in runs and have outscored the Cubs by 24 runs while playing two more games (29 to 27), so have outscored the Cubs by almost a full run per game. They’ve allowed 112 runs, a couple more than the league average of 114.

Manny Machado’s been one of the best players in MLB so far this year and currently leads the NL with a 1.103 OPS. There had been persistent rumors that the Padres wanted to dump Eric Hosmer’s contract before the season and that the Cubs were interested. Maybe they should have, because Hosmer seems rejuvenated, batting .351/.427/.526 so far. Needless to say, that’d look better in the Cubs lineup than pretty much everyone who’s there now.

Please visit our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball for more on the Padres.

Fun fact

The Cubs actually won five of six from the Padres in 2021, including two of three in San Diego. Of course, that was when the Cubs were hot in late May and early June, well before the selloff.

Pitching matchups

Monday: Kyle Hendricks, RHP (1-3, 5.64 ERA, 1.484 WHIP, 5.51 FIP) vs. MacKenzie Gore, LHP (2-0, 1.71 ERA, 1.190 WHIP, 2.88 FIP)

Tuesday: TBD vs. Mike Clevinger, RHP (0-0, 5.79 ERA, 1.500 WHIP, 3.29 FIP)

Wednesday: TBD vs. Nick Martinez, RHP (2-2, 3.38 ERA, 1.425 WHIP, 5.44 FIP)

The IL placement of Marcus Stroman on Sunday has thrown the Cubs rotation into chaos. Justin Steele, who started Sunday, was supposed to open this series with Kyle Hendricks going Tuesday.

Now, with Hendricks opening the series, one of these games will likely feature an “opener” with Keegan Thompson backing him up. Since Thompson threw 54 pitches Saturday night, that probably can’t happen until Wednesday.

Regarding Stroman, per MLB’s COVID-19 protocols, he must be out for 10 days unless he is no longer showing symptoms, his condition is improving and he has two negative tests. Then he has to be certified as no longer presenting a risk of infection by the Cubs’ team physician and the MLB/MLBPA joint committee on COVID-19.

As far as Tuesday goes? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Times & TV channels

Monday: 8:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Tuesday: 8:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside Cubs and Padres market territories)

Wednesday: 3:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Prediction

Once again, salvaging one of these three might be about as much as we can ask for.

Up next

The Cubs have another off day Thursday and will travel to Phoenix to begin a three-game series against the Diamondbacks. That set begins Friday evening.