Friday notes:
- AFTER AN OFF DAY: The Cubs are 12-9 this season in games following a day off, excluding after the season-opening games in Tokyo. This is their first such game at home since Aug. 1, when they beat the Orioles, 1-0. They are 9-2 at Wrigley Field after a day’s rest and have won their last three there, since an 8-7 loss to the Brewers on June 19. Their other loss was to the Reds, 6-2, on May 30. The Cubs will have two more games after resting, both at home: next Friday vs. the Rays and Tuesday, Sept. 23, vs. the Mets. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- HAPP-ENINGS: Ian Happ, last 16 games since Aug. 17: .339/.439/.607 (19-for-46) with six doubles, three home runs, 10 RBI, 10 walks and 11 runs scored.
- KELLER-IFFIC: Brad Keller, 19 appearances since the All_Star break: 19.1 innings, nine baserunners (three hits, six walks) in 23 batters faced (0.466 WHIP), no runs allowed, eight holds, one save.
- THIS DAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Anthony Rizzo hits a grand slam and Javier Báez adds a two-run homer in an eight-run fifth inning as the Cubs crush the Diamondbacks 14-5. It happened 10 years ago today, Friday, Sept. 4, 2015.
Cubs lineup:
Nationals lineup:
Javier Assad, RHP vs. Jake Irvin, RHP
Javier Assad has had two pretty good starts after two rough ones to start the year.
He hasn’t faced the Nationals since late last year and so most of the current Nats have not faced him
for more than a handful of at-bats. Total for all current Nats: .214 (9-for-42) with 10 strikeouts.
Go get ‘em, Javier.
Jake Irvin was having a decent year but since the All-Star break, yikes: eight starts, 7.98 ERA, 1.774 WHIP, nine home runs in 38.1 innings.
Can you say “ran out of gas”?
Irvin allowed three runs in five innings to the Cubs June 5 at Nationals Park, including a home run by Pete Crow-Armstrong. Perhaps PCA can get back on track here.
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Today’s game is on Apple TV+ (how to watch). Announcers: Wayne Randazzo, Dontrelle Willis and Heidi Watney.
Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Nationals site Federal Baseball. If you do go there to interact with Nats fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2025 Game Thread procedure will be identical to last year’s.
You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.
You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
