Chicago Cubs vs. Detroit Tigers preview, Wednesday 8/23, 12:10 CT

Wednesday notes...

• PLAYING IN DETROIT: The Cubs will extend a team streak this afternoon that could well be a Major League record — and which likely never will be broken. Today’s game will be the Cubs’ 11th straight against the Tigers at Detroit. They have not played more than six in a row on the road against any other American League team. Under the new scheduling format, interleague rivalries will alternate sites every year, so no team can play more than three consecutive games at any city in the opposite league. The Cubs’ last game at home against the Tigers was on July 4, 2018. They split two games at Detroit later that year, lost two of three in 2020, won two of three in 2021 and have split the first two in the current series. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• INTERLEAGUE FINALE: The Cubs are 24-21 against American League teams this year, and today is their final regular season interleague matchup. Before this year the last time the Cubs had a winning record vs. A.L. teams was 2020, when they were 12-8.
• CONTINUING HIS HOT HITTING: Seiya Suzuki, 14 games in August: .354/.373/.729 (17-for-48) with two doubles, a triple, five home runs and 12 runs scored.
• (HOPEFULLY) STARTING A HOT STREAK: Nick Madrigal, last four games: 4-for-8, two doubles, a home run.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Tigers lineup:

Jameson Taillon, RHP vs. Tarik Skubal, LHP

Jameson Taillon was having a nice recovery from his bad first half when the Blue Jays demolished him in Toronto. He made a nice comeback from that with a good outing last Friday against the Royals.

He hasn’t faced the Tigers since May 1, 2021 and that team has had quite a bit of turnover since then.

The only Tigers hitter who has faced him for more than a handful of at-bats is old friend Javier Báez, who has absolutely demolished Taillon: 12-for-21 (.571) with four doubles and two home runs.

So, hold Javy down and this could be another good outing.

Tarik Skubal has been the Tigers’ best pitcher for a couple of years — when he can stay on the field. He had flexor tendon surgery a year ago and has made just eight starts since his return in early July. They have been ramping up his pitch count slowly, and he’s been pretty good in three starts in August: 2.70 ERA, 1.200 WHIP.

Only three current Cubs have ever faced him. Nick Madrigal is 2-for-2, for whatever that’s worth.

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 Tigers site Bless You Boys. If you do go there to interact with Tigers 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.