The host Chicago Cubs are out for revenge as they begin a three-game series with the San Diego Padres on Monday night.
When the clubs collided in San Diego back in early April, the Padres took two of three games from Chicago, outscoring the Cubs 19-10 in those victories.
But Chicago is 14-9 since dropping that three-game set, and it most recently picked up a 5-0 win over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. Thanks to that shutout, the Cubs continued to stay unbeaten in series at home (4-0-1).
Meanwhile, San Diego is set to play the back half of a six-game road trip that started with three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix. The Padres prevailed 7-1 on Friday and 13-1 on Saturday before getting shellacked 11-4 on Sunday in the finale.
San Diego saw a four-game winning streak come to an end with the setback.
“Not to pin it on one area, but we just couldn’t get it going on the mound to start,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said.
In the past nine games, five San Diego starters have been tagged for at least four runs in outings of six innings or less.
“Listen, we trust our guys,” Shildt said. “The fact of the matter is that’s why you look at the payrolls and starting pitching is a big part of the equation of guys getting compensated — and rightfully so. If you get quality starts, you’ve got a chance to compete.
“If you’re having trouble getting them, you put your club in a more compromised position to compete.”
The Padres are 4-5 over that nine-game stretch, and right-hander Yu Darvish (1-1, 3.45 ERA) will have a chance to help the pitching staff get back on track when he makes his sixth start of the season on Monday.
Darvish most recently scattered three hits across five scoreless innings to pick up a win against the Cincinnati Reds last Tuesday. He is 2-2 with a 2.76 ERA in five career starts against Chicago, his former team.
Unlike San Diego, the Cubs have had little to complain about when it comes to their starting rotation.
Chicago starters Hayden Wesneski, Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad combined for 18 1/3 shutout innings in the series with Milwaukee, and now left-hander Justin Steele (0-0, 1.93) will look to give the Cubs a fourth straight quality start on Monday.
Steele hasn’t pitched since Chicago’s season opener on March 28, when he did not factor into the decision after yielding one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings against the Texas Rangers. A left hamstring strain forced Steele from that game.
“I was super anxious about Opening Day, just everything around it — first game of the year, first Opening Day for me and then obviously got hurt,” Steele said. “It was nice to get that one under my belt. Now, it’s like I’ve got to do it again. I’m excited about it. I’m more excited just being back up with the guys.”
In two career starts against the Padres, Steele has gone 1-0 with a 0.73 ERA.
–Field Level Media
