Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks preview, Sunday 9/17, 6:10 CT

Results of afternoon games involving the Cubs’ playoff competition (as of the time this preview posted, 4 p.m. CT):

• Marlins 16, Braves 2 (final)
• Mets 8, Reds 4 (final)
• Cardinals 6, Phillies 5 (final)
• Nationals 1, Brewers 1 (top 10)
• Giants 9, Rockies 0 (bottom 6)

So, the Cubs can pick up a game on the Reds and Phillies with a win tonight, and perhaps on the Brewers if the Nats can beat them in extras.

Sunday notes...

• DON’T DO IT AGAIN THIS TIME: The Cubs have been swept in three games at ArizoNa in five past seasons. The most recent was July 18-20, 2014, by scores of 5-4, 9-3 and 3-2. They also were swept each year, 1999-2001, and in 2012. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT: From 2015-18, the Cubs were 40-20 in extra-inning games, a splendid .667 winning percentage. In the four full seasons since then (2019, 2021-23), they are 19-32, .373, including 3-4 this year. They were 3-1 in 2020. Since 2000, they are 161-159, .503. Since 1901, they are 909-872-56, .510. Since 1876, they are 971-943-151, .526. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• THE NICO FILES: Nico Hoerner, 11-game hitting streak: .375/.412/.396 (18-for-48), one double, eight runs scored.
• STOLEN BASE UPDATE: The Cubs have swiped 129 bases this season, third-most in the N.L. and the most in a single season since they had 151 steals in 1990. Nico Hoerner (41 steals) and Cody Bellinger (20) are the first Cubs duo to record at least 20 steals in a season since Tony Campana (30) and Starlin Castro (25) in 2012.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Diamondbacks lineup:

Jordan Wicks, LHP vs. Ryne Nelson, RHP

Jordan Wicks has made four starts and all of them have been at least good, with a couple in the “very good to excellent” category.

He has good mound presence and nothing appears to faze him. He allowed a home run to the very first MLB batter he faced and has now faced 88 more without allowing a long ball and giving up just five other extra-base hits.

He has obviously never faced the Diamondbacks or anyone on their active roster. Hopefully that will be to his advantage.

Ryne Nelson, who has not had a good year, did have a good start against the Cubs September 7 at Wrigley Field, allowing two hits and one run in 5⅔ innings.

Then he went out and got blasted by the Mets in his start after that, giving up seven runs, including two home runs, in 4⅓ innings. The Cubs start was his first one since June where he didn’t allow a long ball.

Let’s go, Cubs hitters — change that up today. For whatever it’s worth, Nelson has been much worse at Chase Field than on the road:

Home: 11 starts, 51⅓ innings, 8.59 ERA, 1.948 WHIP, 12 HR
Road: 15 starts, 83⅔ innings, 3.66 ERA, 1.136 WHIP, 12 HR

Statcast

Statcast

Today’s game is on ESPN.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Diamondbacks site AZ Snakepit. If you do go there to interact with D-backs 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 — also see the note at the top of this preview.

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.