The Cubs face a team from the NL West.
The Cubs fell half a game further behind the Brewers in the NL Central when the Brewers defeated the Diamondbacks Monday while the Cubs had an off day. Onward.
The Giants were in contention early in the year, even getting into a first-place tie with the Dodgers after defeating them June 13. Since then they have MLB’s worst record at 22-39.
And it’s gotten worse since the All-Star break, as the Giants are 11-23 since then — and 2-13 at home over that span.
Speaking of the Brewers, he Cubs do thank the Giants for defeating them in a three-game series in Milwaukee over the weekend.
For more on the Giants, please visit our SB Nation Giants site McCovey Chronicles.
Fun facts
This will be the Cubs’ 121st series at San Francisco but just the second in which they have arrived after playing the Angels in Los Angeles. The previous time was two years ago, when the Cubs lost three straight to the Angels, then won two of three against the Giants. That was the Cubs’ only series win at San Francisco in their last 10. They lost two of three each year in 2014-19, then three of four in 2021, 2022 and last year.
(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Probable pitching matchups
Tuesday: Matthew Boyd, LHP (12-6, 2.61 ERA, 1.041 WHIP, 3.28 FIP) vs. Justin Verlander, RHP (1-10, 4.64 ERA, 1.437 WHIP, 3.8 7 FIP)
Wednesday: Colin Rea, RHP (10-5, 3.96 ERA, 1.288 WHIP, 4.61 FIP) vs. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP (1-1, 4.91 ERA, 1.418 WHIP, 6.88 FIP)
Thursday: Shōta Imanaga, LHP (8-6, 3.03 ERA, 0.926 WHIP, 4.32 FIP) vs. Logan Webb, RHP (12-9, 3.13 ERA, 1.218 WHIP, 2.59 FIP)
Times & TV channels
Tuesday: 8:45 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Wednesday: 8:45 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Thursday: 2:45 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
The Giants started out this season strong and when the Cubs lost two of three to them at Wrigley Field in May (including that epic Ryan Pressly extra-inning meltdown), the Giants were tied for second in the NL West at 24-14, only 1.5 games behind the Dodgers, and as noted above, even got into a first-place tie about a month later. Since then they are 39-54. Among NL teams, only the Nationals and Rockies are worse in that span. The Cubs are 54-39 since then.
I don’t see any reason the Cubs shouldn’t take at least two of these three games.
Up next
The Cubs head to Denver for a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies beginning Friday evening.
Category: General Sports
