Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Guardians preview, Sunday 7/2, 4:05 CT

As noted earlier today, this game was pushed back to avoid earlier rain. Even so, here’s the Chicago-area radar for you to keep handy:

Sunday notes...

• HALFWAY HOME: The Cubs are 38-43 at the midpoint of the season for the fifth time since the National League’s schedule was expanded to 162 games in 1962. In 1964 and 1996, the Cubs went 38-43 in the second half as well, to wind up 76-86. In 1975, they went 37-44 to finish 75-87. In 1999, they tumbled to 29-52 to end the year 67-95. A year ago, the Cubs were 33-48 thnrough 81 games. In 2021, they were 33-48. In all first halves since 1901 combined, the Cubs have had a .507 winning percentage: 4,841 wins, 4,713 losses and 46 times. In all second halves, their percentage is .502: 4,738 wins, 4,701 losses and 55 times. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• KEEPING UP WITH THE NEIGHBORS: Despite Saturday’s loss, the Cubs are 12-7 since they were swept at Anaheim in early June. That’s the second-best record in the N.L. Central since June 9. The other divisional teams in that span: Reds 15-5, Brewers 10-10, Cardinals 8-11, Pirates 7-14.
• HE’S HOT: Cody Bellinger in the five games of this homestand: .474/.500/.579 (9-for-19) with two doubles.
• HE’S NOT: Christopher Morel, last 10 games since June 19: .180/.233/.282 (7-for-39), 15 strikeouts, including the golden sombrero for four K’s in Saturday’s loss.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

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

Jameson Taillon, RHP vs. Aaron Civale, RHP

Jameson Taillon — I got nothin’. Do better, Jameson.

Well, wait, I do have some stuff. He had a good start vs. the Guardians April 22, 2022 — one run in five innings, with no walks and five strikeouts. We’d take that.

Most current Guardians have not faced him. Josh Bell is 1-for-3, a home run.

Aaron Civale missed more than a month with an oblique injury suffered in April. He returned last month and posted a 3.33 ERA and 1.370 WHIP in five starts in June.

He last faced the Cubs in June 2021, before that year’s selloff. Thus most current Cubs haven’t faced him. Trey Mancini is 4-for-6 and Nick Madrigal 2-for-5 against Civale, very small sample sizes.

Statcast

Statcast

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. 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.