Chicago Cubs vs. Miami Marlins preview, Friday 4/28, 5:40 CT

Today’s roster move: Here

Friday notes...

• THIS LOOKS FAMILIAR: This is the 41st time since 1901 that the Cubs have been 14-10 or better after 24 games — exactly one of every three seasons. Of the previous 20, they made the post season 14 times and did not 26. Since divisions were introduced, in 1969, the Cubs have made it in six of 17 seasons after starting at least 14-10. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• A GOOD BEGINNING: With the win Thursday, the Cubs clinched a winning month of April (with March results included). The last time the Cubs had a winning March/April was in 2019, when they went 15-12 before April ended. They’ve still got a chance to do better than that.
• WHERE ARE ALL OUR OLD FRIENDS?: Today begins a stretch where the Cubs play 16 of their next 22 on the road. Just three of those 22 games will be against an N.L. Central opponent (Cardinals, May 8-10), and they don’t play another N.L. Central team until May 26 (Reds). Thus of the Cubs’ first 49 games of the year, just eight will be divisional games.
• HELLO OLD FRIEND: Marlins outfielder/DH Jorge Soler has not faced the Cubs since 2020, when he went 4-for-15 (.267) with a home run in four games against them with the Royals. Those are the only games Soler has ever played against his original team.
• HOME RUN STREAKING: With three homers in Thursday’s win over the Padres (Eric Hosmer, Nelson Velázquez and Dansby Swanson), the Cubs have now hit home runs in a season-high eight consecutive games, the team’s longest such streak since August 13-21, 2022 (nine straight) and the longest active streak in the N.L. The franchise record is 17 consecutive games, from August 19 to September 5, 1998.
• BACK-TO-BACK JACKS: The homers by Hosmer and Velázquez Thursday were back-to-back in the second inning. It’s the fourth time the Cubs have hit back-to-back homers this year. They did it six times all of last year.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Marlins lineup:

Also of interest for tonight:

Marcus Stroman, RHP vs. Jesus Luzardo, LHP

Marcus Stroman had the “worst” start of his 2023 season last time out against the Dodgers, though it wasn’t really terrible — five runs in five innings — and his ERA for the season is still 2.17, which is very good. Every starter gets a clunker every now and again, hopefully, that’s it for that for Stroman for a while.

Stroman last faced the Marlins September 21, 2022 in Miami, and allowed three runs in six innings, with seven strikeouts. He did allow two home runs in that game, so it would be better if he didn’t do that.

Jesus Luzardo was Stroman’s opponent in that 2022 game and struck out 11 Cubs, but that’s largely irrelevant because only three Cubs who played in that game (Ian Happ, Patrick Wisdom and Yan Gomes) are still on the team.

Strikeouts are Luzardo’s game, though, as he is averaging 10.5 per nine innings this year after 10.8 last year, and as you can see from the graphic below, he throws hard. Current Cubs are hitting .222 (12-for-54) against him with two home runs (Wisdom and Luis Torrens).

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 Marlins site Fish Stripes. If you do go there to interact with Marlins 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.