Game 1 of the National League Division series didn’t go well for the Cubs, and they trail the Brewers one game to none.
Let’s leave that behind and look forward, because leaving Milwaukee tied at one game each in this series would be a result any of us any of us would be happy with. (Even before the series began, splitting two road games to open a postseason series is a good result.)
As I see it, the Cubs have three choices for Game 2:
- Start Shōta Imanaga
- Use an opener, then Imanaga
- Start Colin Rea
Imanaga, as you know, has had a rough time over the last month or
two, including Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the Padres. He allowed 31 home runs in 144.2 innings during the regular season, and nearly half of those (15) came in his last nine starts covering 55.1 innings. Then he served up another one, to Manny Machado, last Wednesday at Wrigley Field. In that game, manager Craig Counsell used Andrew Kittredge as an opener for Imanaga, and Kittredge put the Cubs behind by allowing a run in the first inning.
In Imanaga’s last start at Milwaukee, July 30, he allowed two solo homers, both to William Contreras, but the Cubs won in a blowout. He did strike out eight in that game.
If the Cubs did use an opener, who would it be? The leverage guys in the pen should be well rested, as they weren’t used on Saturday and today is an off day. On the other hand, using someone like Kittredge to open puts the Cubs at a disadvantage if they have a lead in the late innings.
Then there’s the possibility of starting Rea, who threw 15 pitches Wednesday against the Padres in 1.2 innings, allowing no runs and striking out one.
Rea has stepped up in important situations earlier this year. On the other hand, his numbers against the Brewers this year aren’t good: 5.59 ERA, 1.862 WHIP in two starts covering 9.2 innings. And the Brewers coaching staff should be quite familiar with him, as he made 58 appearances (49 starts) for them in 2023 and 2024 combined. Craig Counsell clearly trusts Rea — Rea pitched for him in Milwaukee in 2023 and that’s undoubtedly one big reason the Cubs signed Rea in the first place.
This is not an easy call. But I think I’d start Rea in Game 2 and save Imanaga (or Imanaga after an opener) for Game 3 at Wrigley Field. The weather at Wrigley late Wednesday afternoon is forecast to be coolish (temps in the low 60s) and the wind is likely to be blowing in. Imanaga made five starts this year with the game-time temp below 65. Results: 2.57 ERA, 1.107 WHIP, four home runs in 28 innings. That would seem better than starting him on Monday, when the roof in Milwaukee is likely to be closed due to a forecast of rain.
We might not get an announcement about this until late today or early Monday. The Brewers don’t have a starter listed for Game 2 either at the time of this post, but it is likely to be either Quinn Priester or old friend José Quintana.
What would you do for Game 2?
