Sunday night’s Reds-Cubs finale at Wrigley Field won’t get going on time, but the matchup still has plenty riding on it for Cincinnati.
The series rubber game between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs was set to begin in a rain delay, with first pitch originally scheduled for 7:20 p.m. ET. The game was later updated to a 7:45 ET start.
The Reds and Cubs have split the first two games of the series, setting up Sunday night’s meeting as the decider. Cincinnati will hand the ball to Chase Burns as it tries to leave Chicago with a series win.
Burns has been one of the bright spots in the rotation this season, going 14-3 with a 2.77 ERA. The rookie is coming off one of his toughest outings of the year, when he allowed five runs on nine hits over 3 2/3 innings against the Giants.
Earlier this week, Burns laid out the plan for how the Reds want to handle him the rest of the way.
“This season, making every start and limiting my pitch count and innings, that’s huge for my body,”Burns told Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie's Chalkboard. “That’s the plan.
Making every start is the biggest thing. I don’t need to go out there at the end of September and throw 110 pitches.
Make every start if I feel great. Constantly communicate with them.”
Chicago will counter with Shota Imanaga, who enters at 8-9 with a 3.78 ERA across 26 starts. He’s also trying to steady himself after a short outing against the Seattle Mariners, when he lasted just two innings and allowed two runs on five hits. Imanaga walked two and struck out four, but needed 74 pitches to get through those two frames.
Sunday also gives Sal Stewart another chance to pad a breakout season that has already rewritten part of the Reds’ record book. He leads Cincinnati with 30 home runs, 104 RBI, 138 hits and 252 total bases, and his 104 RBI are the most in the majors. That total has already moved past Jim Greengrass’ previous franchise rookie record of 100, set in 1953.
Stewart is on pace for 123 RBI, which would be the most by a Reds hitter since Dave Parker drove in 125 in 1985. He also remains in position to become only the third rookie since 1920 to lead the majors in RBI, joining Ted Williams and Walt Dropo.
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