On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Diamondbacks series preview

Last time the Cubs and Diamondbacks met, it had been 473 days since the previous meeting of the clubs.

Now, it’s been... five days. Thanks, schedule makers! And speaking of schedules, how dumb is this? From September 6-27, a three-week period, the D-Backs have to fly from Phoenix to Chicago to New York to Phoenix to New York to Chicago to Phoenix.

Yes, that’s right — the Diamondbacks are playing both Chicago teams and both New York teams on the road this month, but NOT back-to-back, so they have to make two trips to BOTH Chicago and New York in a three-week period. Bring back the unbalanced schedule, please.

As you know, the D-backs took three of four from the Cubs last weekend at Wrigley Field. For more on the D-Backs, you can check out last weekend’s series preview. Things haven’t changed too much for either team.

Fun fact

The Cubs have not played at Arizona since May 15, 2022, exactly 16 months ago. They won two of three games in that series, as they also had in each of their four previous visits, going back to 2017.

In 2016, they took three of four, so the Cubs are 13-6 in their last six visits to Phoenix. In those games, they have outscored the Diamondbacks, 99-67.

In their first three visits to the desert, in 1998-99, the Cubs won two series and split one, going 6-3. From their second trip in 1999 through 2015, they won only two more series, split 2 and lost 15 while winning just 18 games and losing 40.

The Cubs’ only three-game sweep came in 2010. They lost all three games of five series and the only two games of another.

Their overall record at Arizona is 37-49. In all games against the Diamondbacks, they are 83-91. That .477 winning percentage is their lowest against any current National League team. They were .467 against the Astros when they were in the NL, 1962-2012.

(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Probable pitching matchups

Friday: Justin Steele, LHP (16-3, 2.49 ERA, 1.126 WHIP, 2.92 FIP) vs. Brandon Pfaadt, RHP (1-8, 6.25 ERA, 1.450 WHIP, 5.74 FIP)

Saturday: Kyle Hendricks, RHP (6-7, 3.71 ERA, 1.154 WHIP, 3.90 FIP) vs. Zach Davies, RHP (2-5, 6.81 ERA, 1.598 WHIP, 4.54 FIP)

Sunday: Jordan Wicks, LHP (3-0, 1.99 ERA, 1.059 WHIP, 3.17 FIP) vs. Ryne Nelson, RHP (7-8, 5.53 ERA, 1.444 WHIP, 5.20 FIP)

Times & TV channels

Friday: 8:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Diamondbacks market territories)

Saturday: 7:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Sunday: 6:10 p.m. CT, ESPN

Prediction

These pitching matchups are much more favorable for the Cubs than they were last week at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs should have a large amount of fan support at Chase Field, as they did in Denver. Hopefully that will help.

The Cubs will take two of three, as they did last year

Up next

The Cubs have Monday off, then host the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-game series at Wrigley Field beginning Tuesday evening.