The Cubs head into Monday night with a chance to steady a road trip that started badly in Seattle, but the bigger picture is what makes this series feel different. Chicago and Arizona are both squarely in the Wild Card race, and this three-game set at Chase Field carries that kind of late-August tension that can hang over every pitch.
Chicago enters the opener at 75-56 and holding a two-game edge over the Phillies for the top Wild Card spot. Arizona sits at 69-62, just two games back of the Padres for the final Wild Card position. With the Dodgers and Brewers sitting atop their divisions, the postseason path for both clubs runs through the Wild Card, which should give this series a little extra bite.
The Cubs will have Michael Conforto in the DH spot for a second straight night after he went deep Sunday in Seattle. He has handled Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly well, posting a 1.071 OPS with three doubles in 18 plate appearances. Michael Busch has also had success against Kelly, with a home run and a double in 10 plate appearances.
Chicago is also riding the momentum of a huge offensive day yesterday. Pedro Ramirez and Ian Happ each hit grand slams, and both finished as the team’s RBI leaders in a 19-run outburst. The Cubs will be looking for more of that kind of damage tonight.
Arizona is still without Ketel Marte, who remains on the 10-day injured list with left knee inflammation and hamstring soreness. Ildemaro Vargas, a former Cub, is set to start at second base again in Marte’s place.
Marte was reportedly seen at a casino during one of the Diamondbacks’ games last week, which is definitely ... a choice. It remains a strange situation in Arizona.
On the mound for Chicago, Kevin Gausman is trying to build on a recent stretch that has been steadier than his overall numbers suggest. His last outing against the White Sox ended early after a scary left thumb cramp limited him to 4.1 innings on 86 pitches. He still hasn’t put together a true breakout start in a Cubs uniform, but outside of a six-run outing against the Nationals, he has allowed no more than three runs in his last five starts.
Gausman has leaned heavily on his fastball and splitter, and he went even heavier on the splitter in his most recent start, throwing it 45 times against the White Sox. The plan was ground balls, and he got them, with 50.0 percent of the balls put in play on the ground. That approach figures to be part of the formula again for the 35-year-old right-hander.
Kelly, now 37, brings a 5.37 ERA into the matchup and has been hit hard lately, allowing five or more runs in three of his last four starts. Walks have piled up too, with three or more free passes in three of those four outings. He isn’t likely to miss many bats, but he can still get hitters to chase breaking balls when he gets ahead.
The Cubs have already seen him once this season, and that meeting went their way. Chicago scored six runs in 4.1 innings off Kelly earlier in the year, which gives them at least one more reason to feel good about the matchup as this series begins in Phoenix.
In Other News...
Merrill Kelly Just Put A Frustrating D-Backs Loss In A New Light
Merrill Kellys postgame comments added a fresh layer to an already frustrating night for the Diamondbacks, one that ended with him allowing three earned runs and five hits. After the game, Kelly pointed to Cubs third-base coach Quintin Berry and accused him of relaying signs, drawing a sharp distinction between players trying to pick up information and a coach getting involved.
For Arizona, the issue goes beyond one unpleasant loss. Kelly said sign stealing is part of baseball, but he made clear he does not view a coachs role the same way, which is the kind of complaint that tends to linger well after the final out. It left the Diamondbacks with another layer of irritation to sort through, even as the larger concern remains how to move past a game that felt costly on the field and messier afterward. [Read more 🡒]
Starling Martes Return Carries Big Stakes For Arizonas Playoff Push
Starling Marte is edging closer to rejoining the lineup, and the timing could matter plenty for a Diamondbacks club trying to keep its postseason push on track. Manager Torey Lovullo said Marte is on schedule to come off the 10-day injured list early next week, with a possible return as soon as the series opener against the Phillies after being sidelined by left knee inflammation.
Marte has already been cleared to take batting practice, but Arizona is still proceeding carefully rather than rushing him back. Lovullo made clear the plan is to make sure Marte is healthy and ready to play before putting him back in the mix, a sensible approach with the stretch run tightening and every healthy bat carrying extra weight. [Read more 🡒]
Ketel Marte Nears Return As Diamondbacks Face A Bigger Question
Ketel Marte is expected to come off the 10-day injured list early next week, a welcome sign for a Diamondbacks club that has been waiting to get one of its most important hitters back in the mix. Marte landed on the shelf last Thursday because of inflammation in his left knee, and since then he has been rehabbing at Arizonas spring training complex while the team has tried to keep moving without him.
Torey Lovullo confirmed the update and also touched on Martes recent stretch away from the club, which included time on the restricted list for personal reasons before the knee issue added another layer to the absence. For Arizona, the timing matters because Martes return should help stabilize the lineup, even as the larger question remains how quickly he can get back to being the player the Diamondbacks have leaned on so heavily. [Read more 🡒]