On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Giants series preview

The Giants won 107 games last year, a franchise record, only to fall to the Dodgers in a division series.

They’re not going to win 107 games this year; in fact, they’ll have to go 17-8 the rest of the way to even finish with a winning record. (Hint: That’s probably not gonna happen.)

For more on the Giants, here’s Brady Klopfer, managing editor of our SB Nation Giants site McCovey Chronicles.

The second half of the Giants’ season has been an unmitigated disaster. They played horrible baseball out of the break, opted against selling hard at the deadline, and have since fallen completely out of the postseason race, with a better chance of finishing last in the NL West than making the playoffs. Quite a step backwards after winning a franchise-record 107 games in 2021.

Right now the team’s defense is awful, and the bullpen isn’t far behind. The offense is mediocre, and only the starting pitching really stands out. Fortunately for the Giants, their two aces will be taking the mound in Chicago, as Carlos Rodón (who leads the NL in FIP, total strikeouts, and strikeouts per nine innings) and Logan Webb are both scheduled to start in the series.

The Giants will try to ride those two to a series victory, but they’re at the point in the season where they’re more focused on preparing for 2023 than they are on winning games right now. The Cubs will see a steady dose of corner infielder David Villar (no relation to Jonathan), a home run machine who was the best hitter in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League this year, as he tries to state his case for being an everyday player next year. They’ll see a lot of center fielder Lewis Brinson, a former top-15 prospect who is trying to find his form in San Francisco. They’ll see a lot of Bryce Johnson, a toolsy outfielder who can steal bases and play defense, but who can’t hit very well.

If those unproven players can have good auditions, the Giants could ride the arms of Rodón and Webb to a very successful series. And if not ... well, it could be some pretty dull baseball from a team that’s very ready to have the season be over already.

Fun fact

Since 2015, the Cubs are 15-6 against the Giants at Wrigley Field, but the last time San Francisco came through (last September) the Giants swept a three-game series. Before that, the Cubs swept San Francisco in a three-game set at Wrigley in August 2019.

Probable pitching matchups

Friday: Drew Smyly, LHP (5-8, 3.84 ERA, 1.259 WHIP, 4.47 FIP) vs. Carlos Rodón, LHP (12-7, 2.92 ERA, 1.061 WHIP, 2.33 FIP)

Saturday: Marcus Stroman, RHP (3-6, 3.73 ERA, 1.169 WHIP, 3.72 FIP) vs. Logan Webb, RHP (12-8, 2.89 ERA, 1.175 WHIP, 3.19 FIP)

Sunday: Wade Miley, LHP (1-0, 3.13 ERA, 1.174 WHIP, 3.54 FIP) vs. TBD

Times & TV channels

Friday: 3:05 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Giants market territories)

Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Sunday: 7:08 p.m. CT, ESPN

Prediction

The Cubs have been basically a .500 team since the All-Star break (22-23) and the Giants... haven’t (17-29). The Giants are 6-19 on the road since the break and have lost four in a row (and 11 of their last 15) entering this series.

Seriously, the Cubs should win two of three here.

Up next

The Cubs travel to New York for a three-game series against the Mets beginning Monday evening.