Chicago Cubs vs San Francisco Giants – Series Preview (September 9-11): Overview, Game and Broadcast Info, Starting Pitchers, W2W4
The Cubs (57-80) lost their fourth consecutive series Thursday at Wrigley Field, and it came at the hands of the Reds. After several high-profile trades, Chicago’s bullpen has predictably collapsed and now boasts a 5.66 ERA since the start of August. Next up on the schedule is a three-game series with the disappointing San Francisco Giants.
The Giants (65-72) won three out of four against the Cubs at the end of July in San Francisco and were toeing the line between buyer and seller. They have struggled since, going 14-21 to fall out of the playoff race. Joc Pederson and Wilmer Flores represent the two big bats in a lineup that had previously been fueled by late-career surges from several players.
Logan Webb and Carlos Rodón are having excellent seasons in San Francisco’s rotation, with the latter taking the bump to start the opener. Rodón is sort of like the Giants’ version of Willson Contreras, just without the emotional connection, in that the team failed to move him prior to the expiration of his contract. Hard-throwing Camilo Doval has been tough in the closer’s role and the rest of the bullpen has been solid
These games really do feel like the doldrums of the season with neither team playing for much other than pride or a draft spot. For the Cubs and their fans, it’s really about seeing what they’ve got for next season and beyond.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Friday, September 9 at 3:05pm CT on MLB Network (out-of-market only) and Marquee Sports Network.
- Saturday, September 10 at 1:20pm CT on Marquee Sports Network.
- Sunday, September 11 at 7:08pm CT on ESPN.
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 9/9 | Drew Smyly | 33 | L | 3.84 | 5-8 | 4.47 | 3.30 |
| Carlos Rodón | 29 | L | 2.92 | 12-7 | 2.33 | 4.28 | |
| 9/10 | Marcus Stroman | 31 | R | 3.73 | 3-6 | 3.72 | 3.10 |
| Logan Webb | 25 | R | 2.89 | 12-8 | 3.19 | 3.11 | |
| 9/11 | Wade Miley | 35 | L | 3.13 | 1-0 | 3.54 | 1.80 |
| TBA |
What to Watch For
- Seiya Suzuki had a pair of home runs against Cincinnati and has been very good the past few weeks.
- Stroman has only allowed one run over 12 innings in his last two starts .
- Impressive rookie Hayden Wesneski should be available to pitch in this series, maybe piggybacking Miley’s start on Sunday.
