Anyone who told you that things were going to be easy was wrong. This was the kind of game that reminds you how narrow the margins are between the best and worst teams. The Angels appear to be a good deal short of being a realistically competitive team. The Cubs have now reminded people that they are one of the best teams in the league. They put together a 6-2 week and particularly six wins in their last seven days of the week. They’ve won nine of 14 since their last day off.
This one felt a lot more
like the struggles the Cubs have had over the last couple of months. A one-run win that came all of the way down to the last batter of the game. The one significant difference is that during the lull in their season, this team was not coming back, even from small deficits. Once they were losing, they lost. But in this one, the Angels jumped out first with a single run. The Cubs answered with four unanswered runs over the third, fourth and fifth innings.
The Angels bounced back too, scoring two and missing a go-ahead home run by only a few feet foul. The Cubs then held on by the skin of their teeth and got across the finish line with the win and the sweep. Regardless of any difference between two teams, it remains difficult to sweep on the road. This wasn’t easy, but it just doesn’t matter. The Cubs have six games remaining on this trip and three of those are against the woeful Rockies. This has the chance to be a fairly special trip.
Jameson Taillon was terrific again over five innings before leaving with a tweaked groin. The bullpen was adequate over four innings. Andrew Kittredge is going to take a beating over this one. He allowed two runs, but the second one was unearned. The tension came from a play that Dansby Swanson didn’t make. This infield is so good, you have to be caught off guard when they misplay.
The offense had six different guys with hits, two of them with two, and two of the hits were doubles. They also drew five walks. Both doubles were part of the scoring. Two of the walks came around to score. This was very much a team effort offensively. Even with that, the Cubs left nine runners on base. But they were 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position. So a bit of a mixed bag.
You like to hope with a sweep to start, seven wins on the trip might be in play. An off day helps. It should keep everybody fresh heading into this next six games. Then, the following week, when the team returns home they will be joined by two more players for the remainder of the season. I’ve not heard anything about Miguel Amaya being back at practice yet, so I’ll assume Moises Ballesteros and Javier Assad will be those two players. Both of those two make the team better.
This team can really put together a special last 40 games of the season. This is one of the softest parts of the schedule. This should allow the team a lot of runway to be playing their best ball when the playoffs come around. They should also be comfortably in the playoffs and able to line up their pitching for the opening of the playoffs. Having six viable starters will be helpful with that (plus Ben Brown in a pinch).
Time to be greedy.
Pitch Counts:
- Cubs: 147, 36 BF
- Angels: 151, 40 BF
The Cubs at about 16.5 pitches per inning and the Angels a hair higher, closer to 17. The Cubs actually work harder on a per batter basis but the Angels harder on a per inning basis. Both offenses made the other team sweat a fair bit. The biggest difference here is that the Cub pitch count is based in no small part on strikeouts. They struck out nine batters and only walked one. The Angels had five of each.
The Cubs had two pitchers go past the 25 pitch mark (Andrew Kittredge and Daniel Palencia), but with the off day Monday, the Cubs should open the series Tuesday with a fully staffed bullpen.
Three Stars:
- Jameson Taillon, one run on three hits over five. No walks.
- Nico Hoerner a single, a double and a run driven in.
- Kyle Tucker continues to surge. he had a hit and a pair of walks. He drove in a run and scored another.
Game 131, August 24: Cubs 4, Angels 3 (76-55)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
- Superhero: Daniel Palencia (.200). IP, 5 BF, H, BB, 3 K (Sv 20)
- Hero: Jameson Taillon (.159). 5 IP, 18 BF, 3 H, 0 BB, ER, 3 K (W 9-6)
- Sidekick: Brad Keller (-.141). IP, 3 BF, K
THREE GOATS
- Billy Goat: Andrew Kittredge (-.147). IP, 6 BF, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), K
- Goat: Dansby Swanson (-.093). 0-4
- Kid: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.078). 0-4, SF, RBI
WPA Play of the Game: Daniel Palencia’s strikeout of Bryce Teodosio to end the game with runners on first and second. (.170)
*Angels Play of the Game: Luis Rengifo’s lead-off single in the ninth inning. (.134)
Yesterday’s Winner: Cade Horton (128 of 204 votes) over Kyle Tucker (67).
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
- Kyle Tucker +24
- Matthew Boyd +23
- Shōta Imanaga +22
- Michael Busch +16.67
- Jameson Taillon +16
- Julian Merryweather -15
- Carson Kelly -16
- Ben Brown -19
- Dansby Swanson -28.33
- Seiya Suzuki -30
Scoreboard Watching: Dodgers (Wild Card 2) win and move back into a tie with the Padres for the NL West lead and WC2 (Cubs up 2). Mets (WC 3) lose (Cubs up 6.5). Reds win (Cubs up 8). The Reds need to finish 22-9 to reach 90 wins. And I’ll still take the over on 90 wins for the Cubs. This team is closing on a full lock on a playoff spot. Since they made progress, I’ll note that the Brewers lost and the Cubs are back five in the Central. That still looks untouchable, but we’ll peek at it from time to time.
Up Next:
On to San Francisco. The Cubs actually got to California before the Giants who were in Milwaukee over the weekend. The Giants won Saturday and Sunday in Milwaukee to help the Cubs. In a 10-game stretch since the last Giants day off, they are 4-6 as their playoff hopes are all but extinguished. They are now 63-68. The Cubs have not yet announced their starter. Matthew Boyd (12-6, 2.61) is due for this spot in the rotation. But Colin Rea (10-5) would be on schedule if the Cubs wanted to reposition things for any reason. The Giants are 13-23 against lefty starters. The Cubs should throw Boyd and Shōta Imanaga in this series. Every edge counts at this point.
42-year-old Justin Verlander (1-10, 4.64, 110.2 IP) starts for the Giants. He’s 1-3 with a 4.50 over his last seven (34 IP). He usually doesn’t get deep anymore, though he did just throw seven scoreless against the Rays on Aug. 16. Justin is a fair bit better at home (4.14 vs 5.29) and at night (4.26 vs 5.11). He hasn’t averaged more than five innings per start in any month this year. So don’t expect him to get deep.
Verlander isn’t the pitcher he once was. This will be the second straight game against a formerly elite pitcher who is near the end of his career. Take advantage of it. Win a fourth straight.
