Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers preview, Sunday 8/21, 1:20 CT

Sunday notes...

• STILL HOT: Nick Madrigal, last 12 games since August 5: .364/.429/.409 (16-for-44), two doubles, nine runs scored, three three-hit games.
• IT’S THE PITCHING: Cubs pitchers have posted a 2.76 ERA (83 earned runs in 270⅓ innings) in their last 30 games since July 16, and are 18-12 over those 30 games.
• WALKING IT OFF: Saturday’s win was the Cubs’ second walkoff of 2022. The other, June 1, was also against the Brewers. The Cubs have not had a walkoff home run since Jason Heyward hit a three-run walkoff HR vs. the Reds, September 8, 2021.
• THE CLOSE ONES: Each of the Cubs’ last six games have been decided by two or fewer runs, and one-run victories in each of the last four games ... The Cubs’ 67 games decided by two or fewer runs are second-most in the majors behind Pittsburgh (72).

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

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

Justin Steele, LHP vs. Brandon Woodruff, RHP

USA TODAY NETWORK

USA TODAY NETWORK

Justin Steele, last 12 starts since June 5: 2.26 ERA, 1.286 WHIP, six or more innings in six of the 12 outings. That’s definitely quality starting no matter how you define it.

In three starts vs. Milwaukee this year he’s been pretty close to those numbers: 2.75 ERA, 1.322 WHIP, no home runs in 19⅔ innings. All three of those starts were in April and May, and Steele has definitely improved since then. Looking for good things again this afternoon.

Brandon Woodruff is having a decent year, but not close to the year he had in 2021, when he was fifth in NL Cy Young voting and absolutely dominated the Cubs (0.64 in five starts covering 28 innings).

This year, the Cubs scored more runs off him (seven) in one game (April 9 at Wrigley Field) than they did in those 28 innings last year (three).

Woodruff missed a month due to Raynaud’s syndrome, and has pitched better since his return (2.53 ERA in nine starts since June 28), so this game could wind up a good pitchers’ duel.

Statcast

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

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The 2022 Game Thread procedure will be like last years, 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.