Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Guardians preview, Friday 6/30, 1:20 CT

Friday notes...

• THE THREE-RUN CONUNDRUM: The Royals, owners of the second-worst record in all of baseball, gave up three runs yesterday. They won, 4-3. The Cubs gave up 3 and lost, 3-1. The Cubs now are 4-5 when giving up exactly three runs. All other teams combined are 207-108, a .618 winning percentage. Only three teams have had less success than the Cubs when holding opponents to three runs: the Nationals (4-6, .400), the Royals (3-5, .375) and the Athletics (2-8, .200). Eight teams have a percentage above .800, led by the Red Sox (8-1, .889), Padres (7-1, .875), Phillies and Rays (both 13-2, .867). The Cubs were 12-9 when allowing three runs last season. They were 17-7 in 2021. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• WHAT A RELIEF: Over the team’s last eight games since June 19, the Cubs bullpen has thrown 28⅔ innings and allowed 12 hits and nine walks (0.733 WHIP) and two runs (0.63 ERA).
• OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH: When Jared Young homered in Wednesday’s game, he became just the fifth Canadian native (born in Prince George, B.C.) to homer for the Cubs. The others: Matt Stairs (17 homers for the Cubs), Vince Barton (16), Fergie Jenkins (13) and Bunk Congalton (1). In case you were wondering (and yes you were), Congalton played 47 games for the Cubs in 1902 and hit that home run June 3, 1902 vs. the New York Giants.
• HE’S HOT: Nico Hoerner, last 17 games since June 9: .306./329/.472 (22-for-72) with five doubles, two triples, a home run, three stolen bases and 12 runs scored.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Guardians lineup:

Justin Steele, LHP vs. Cal Quantrill, RHP

Justin Steele came right back from a forearm issue and put together two good outings, one against the Orioles at Wrigley, the other in London vs. the Cardinals.

He has allowed three or fewer runs in 12 of his 14 starts this year, and two or fewer in 11.

His only career appearance vs. Cleveland was a three-batter relief appearance May 12 2021 in Progressive Field. Only two current Guardians have ever faced him, and for only one PA each. Perhaps that will be to his advantage.

Cal Quantrill has been on the injured list for a month with a shoulder issue. He got hit quite hard in his two starts just before that (12 hits, five walks, 14 earned runs in 8⅓ innings). He recently made one rehab start and threw five shutout innings.

Oddly, his most recent appearance vs. the Cubs was also as a reliever in that May 12, 2021 game in Cleveland, where he threw one scoreless inning. He has faced a few current Cubs before. Cody Bellinger is 3-for-9 with a double against him.

Statcast

Statcast

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also on MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Guardians market territories). You can find out if Marquee is available via a provider in your area here.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Guardians site Covering The Corner. If you do go there to interact with Guardians 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.