Chicago Cubs @ Kansas City Royals – Series Preview (July 26–28): Overview, Game and Broadcast Info, Starting Pitchers, W2W4
The Cubs (49-55) came out of the All-Star break with a disappointing 2-4 homestand against the Diamondbacks and Brewers. With just four days until the trade deadline, it’s almost certain Chicago will be sellers, something president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer basically confirmed to reporters recently.
Amid this roster uncertainty, the North Siders head to Missouri for an interleague series against the Royals. Kansas City has been a big surprise after a dreadful 2023, with a 56-47 record that has them currently in possession of the final playoff spot in the American League.
The Royals’ offense isn’t a juggernaut with a team OPS of .717 that ranks 19thin MLB. The lineup is carried by two big bats: star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and stalwart veteran catcher Salvador Pérez. Witt is having an MVP-caliber season with a .983 OPS, 18 homers, 23 steals, and 6.2 WAR.
Pitching has been the real strong suit for KC in 2024 with a staff ERA of 3.77, 10th lowest in MLB. The starting rotation of Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans, Brady Singer, and even former Cardinal Michael Wacha has been great. The bullpen is a bit of a weak spot with a 4.21 ERA and there have been issues finding a reliable closer, but the starters help to ease that.
The Cubs could have a different roster by the end of the series depending on how aggressive other teams get. It’s just a very disappointing result for a team that had playoff hopes in the offseason, though maybe they can win a couple of these games and mess up another squad’s playoff chances.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Friday, July 26 at 7:10pm CT on Marquee.
- Saturday, July 27 at 6:10pm CT on Marquee.
- Sunday, July 28 at 1:10pm CT on Marquee.
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 7/26 | Kyle Hendricks | 34 | R | 6.69 | 2-8 | 5.43 | 2.17 |
| Brady Singer | 27 | R | 3.00 | 6-6 | 3.86 | 3.12 | |
| 7/27 | Shōta Imanaga | 30 | L | 2.86 | 8-2 | 3.24 | 6.35 |
| Seth Lugo | 34 | R | 2.38 | 12–4 | 3.22 | 4.07 | |
| 7/28 | Javier Assad | 26 | R | 3.15 | 4-3 | 4.60 | 1.98 |
| Cole Ragans | 26 | L | 3.23 | 7-6 | 2.74 | 3.65 |
What to Watch For
- The Cubs have scored just nine total runs in the six games out of the All-Star break.
- Assad has struggled in his two starts since returning from the injured list.
- The pitching has been very good, with a 2.49 team ERA in July that is the best in baseball.