Based on what we saw in the Cubs’ 8-5 loss to the Mets Thursday evening at Wrigley Field, the answer to the question posed in the headline is definitely “no.”
Shōta Imanaga allowed two more home runs, giving
him 31 for the year. That’s four more than last year — in almost 30 fewer innings. We all love Shōta, he’s been a great addition to the team, but right now I don’t think he’s one of the three best starters the Cubs could put out there against the Padres next week.
I’m kind of starting at the end here so let’s go back to the beginning.
Imanaga issued a walk to leadoff hitter Francisco Lindor. That’s a warning sign right there, because one of the things he’s continued to do well in a rough year is not issue walks. One out later Pete Alonso’s double moved Lindor to third.
The Mets got a second run on an odd play. Mark Vientos popped a ball down the left-field line. Here’s what happened [VIDEO].
The Cubs appeared to throw Lindor out at the plate but… here’s why he wasn’t, Rule 5.09 (a)(1):
A fielder, in order to make a catch on a foul ball nearing a dugout or other out-of-play area (such as the stands), must have one or both feet on or over the playing surface (including the lip of the dugout) and neither foot on the ground inside the dugout or in any other out-of-play area. Ball is in play, unless the fielder, after making a legal catch, steps or falls into a dugout or other out-of-play area, in which case the ball is dead.
The Comment to Official Baseball Rule 5.09(a)(1) stipulates that no fielder may step into or go into a dugout to make a catch. However, if a fielder, after making a legal catch on the playing surface, steps or falls into any out-of-play area at any point while in possession of the ball, the base runners shall be entitled to advance one base and the ball shall be dead.
So per that, Lindor was allowed to score. Further explanation is in Craig Counsell’s postgame comment below.
Alonso then scored on a single by Brandon Nimmo, who was then picked off by Imanaga to end the inning.
The Mets extended their lead to 3-0 in the third on a home run by Lindor, while Mets rookie right-hander Nolan McLean was holding Cubs hitters scoreless. Three more Mets runs came in the fourth on a three-run homer by Nimmo that made it 6-0. It might have been worse if not for this great catch by Ian Happ [VIDEO].
The Cubs finally broke through in the fourth when Seiya Suzuki hit his 28th home run of the season [VIDEO].
Suzuki had not homered since Aug. 6, a span of 160 plate appearances.
Another home run, this one by Dansby Swanson, made it 6-2 in the fifth [VIDEO].
Then Imanaga was probably left in one batter too long in the sixth. He had allowed a pair of singles sandwiched around two outs. Tyrone Taylor was the hitter. The Cubs had Drew Pomeranz ready in the pen, but Counsell allowed Shōta to face Taylor, who smacked a two-run double that made it 8-2.
The Cubs did at least make this game closer. In the bottom of the sixth Happ walked with one out and Moisés Ballesteros bounced a ball into the seats for an automatic double.
Seiya then went deep again [VIDEO].
More on Seiya’s two-homer game from BCB’s JohnW53:
Seiya Suzuki’s second home run made this his his fifth game of the year with multiple homers, tying with Pete Crow-Armstrong for the most among Cubs.
Carson Kelly has three; Ian Happ, two; and Michael Busch, Reese McGuire, Dansby Swanson and Kyle Tucker, one, for a total of 19.
The Yankees went into Thursday with 25 such games; the Mariners, 23; and the Mets, 22. The Dodgers had their 18th Wednesday afternoon, by Freddie Freeman.
Suzuki had not homered twice since June 22, in a 14-6 loss at home to the Mariners.
At 8-5, now this is a ballgame again. Pomeranz, who eventually did relieve Imanaga, along with Michael Soroka and Taylor Rogers, held the Mets scoreless the rest of the way. But the Cubs couldn’t do anything against the Mets bullpen, either, and so 8-5 it was.
Here are Counsell’s postgame comments [VIDEO].
That left the Cubs’ magic number to clinch home field vs. the Padres next week at 2, so they could do it Friday by defeating the Cardinals and having the Padres lose to the Diamondbacks. Arizona’s still in play for the last wild-card spot currently held by the Mets (two games back), so they have something to play for.
But the question I posed in the headline is a real one. The eight runs off Imanaga Thursday were the most he allowed in a game this year, and over his last five starts he has a 5.97 ERA and has allowed 12 (!) home runs in 34.2 innings, and that’s not something you want to see in a postseason series, I wouldn’t think. Jameson Taillon, who’s starting Saturday’s game, would be in line to start Game 3 of the Wild Card Series after Cade Horton and Matthew Boyd start Games 1 and 2. That’s how I’d do it, anyway.
There’s some “concern” about Horton after his MRI, per this Tribune article, but Horton will throw a bullpen session Friday and then the brass will make a decision. As of now, Craig Counsell says Horton is “a go” for Game 1.
Meanwhile, the Cubs need to take care of business against the Cardinals. Win two of three and the series against San Diego will be at Wrigley Field no matter what the Padres do. Colin Rea will start the series opener Friday against St. Louis right-hander Miles Mikolas. Game time is 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network (and MLB Network outside the Cubs and Cardinals market territories).
