Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres preview, Thursday 4/27, 1:20 CT

Thursday notes...

• RUN SCORING: The Cubs’ run differential of +43 is their fourth-best through the first 23 games of any season since 1901. They were +78 in 2016, +58 in 1929 and +50 in 2003. They were at least +40 in three more seasons: +42 in 1932 and +41 in both 1906 and 1926. Over all 123 seasons, after 23 games, the Cubs have averaged 102 runs scored and 100 allowed, a difference of just two. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• EVERYONE DIGS THE LONG BALL: The Cubs homered in their seventh straight game Wednesday evening, a season high. The last time the Cubs homered in more consecutive games was a nine-game streak from August 13-21, 2022.
• NICO NOTES: Nico Hoerner’s RBI single in the fifth Wednesday extended his on-base streak to 21 games. He’s reached safely in 22 of the 23 games this year, and in his last 15 games since April 10 is batting .358/.411/.522 (24-for-67) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, 12 runs scored and only three strikeouts.
• ALSO A HOT HITTER: Trey Mancini, last six games since April 20: .421/.500/.790 (8-for-19) with a double, two home runs and five runs scored.
• MISCELLANEOUS SPLITS: Cubs vs. N.L. teams: 6-8. Cubs vs. A.L. teams: 7-2. Cubs in games decided by two runs or fewer: 3-4. Cubs in games decided by five runs or more: 8-2. Cubs at home: 7-8. Cubs on road: 6-2.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Padres lineup:

Hayden Wesneski, RHP vs. Seth Lugo, RHP

Major League Baseball

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Hayden Wesneski needs to right the ship, and soon. The Padres will be a good test for him. He has never faced them or anyone on their active roster, so perhaps he can use that to his advantage.

Before Seth Lugo signed with the Padres this past offseason, he had not started a game since the pandemic 2020 season, and even then, several of his starts were as an “opener.”

This year he’s in the San Diego rotation. He made three relief appearances against the Cubs last year covering 2⅓ innings, allowing one run with three strikeouts. Current Cubs are a small sample size 7-for-38 (.184) against him.

In short, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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

Please visit our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball. If you do go there to interact with Padres 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 2023 Game Thread procedure will be like last year’s, 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.