Cubs and Astros Slump Into Wrigley Field Series — Astros Vs Cubs
The Cubs and Astros open astros vs cubs at Wrigley Field with both clubs stuck in rough stretches. Chicago has lost nine of its last 11 since April 9, while Houston is 4-8 over the same span and 11 games under.500.
Craig Counsell at Wrigley
“We’re in a funk right now, and it’s up to us to change it,” Craig Counsell said as the Cubs tried to steady a slide that has knocked them into second place, 1 1/2 games behind the Brewers. The Brewers took three straight games from Chicago this week, leaving the Cubs with little margin as the series starts.
The run support has vanished with it. Chicago has scored three runs or fewer in nine games during this stretch, has been outscored 59-31 and is batting.182 while being outhomered 20-7.
Astros Rotation Trouble
Houston arrives with its own problems. The Astros are batting.186 during the same stretch, averaging 1.9 runs a game and being outscored 52-23, which has left them fourth in the AL West and far off the pace.
“I think right now we’re struggling a little bit,” Yordan Alvarez said, and the roster behind him has thinned further. The Astros are missing Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier because of shoulder strains, and they placed Lance McCullers on the injured list this week because of shoulder inflammation.
Taillon and Rea
Jameson Taillon is scheduled to face the Astros on Friday, with Colin Rea set for Saturday. Chicago should know by Friday whether Edward Cabrera can make his next start, and if Cabrera can go on Sunday, Ben Brown could slot in on regular rest.
Shota Imanaga is the only Cubs starter with an outing longer than five innings in the team’s last two full turns through the rotation. He threw seven innings and allowed two runs in a 4-1 loss to the Braves, then followed with 4 1/3 innings and eight runs in a 9-3 loss to the Brewers.
The weather may keep the ball in the park. The wind will be blowing in for all three games at Wrigley Field, and that gives both slumping offenses a shorter path to scoring than they already have had. Alex Bregman has 12 hits in the Cubs’ last 11 games and is batting.286 in that stretch, while Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ian Happ both had four hits in their last 37 at-bats, Dansby Swanson was 5-for-34, Moises Ballesteros was 1-for-18 and Matt Shaw was hitless in 14 at-bats.
