Game Twenty-Five: Cubs (13-11) vs. Cardinals (19-6)
- Game Time – 7:15pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: WGN-TV Ch. 9, MLB Network – Radio: WBBM 780, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 89, 844
- Location – Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 5.23/1.21/3.27) vs. Tyler Lyons (0-0, -.–/-.–/-.–)
The Cubs will look to bounce back from Monday’s loss and end their three-game losing streak tonight behind Kyle Hendricks. Joe Maddon could really use a seven inning performance from Hendricks against the seemingly unstoppable and relentless Cardinals’ offense. The Cubs’ pen is spent and could use a break especially without any days off on the schedule until May 18. A solid seven tonight from Hendricks, mixing and matching in the eighth and Hector Rondon in the ninth could be the right formula to snap the Redbirds’ seven-game winning streak.
Lefty Tyler Lyons is being called up from Triple-A Memphis to take the ball tonight. Lyons will make his first big league start of the season as the Cardinals try to fill the void in the rotation left by Adam Wainwright until Marco Gonzales is ready to be added to the big league starting staff.
Joe Maddon should run out as many right handers as possible tonight with the southpaw on the hill. With Chris Denorfia expected to be placed on the DL, Junior Lake should be in left field based on a microscopic sample size. Lake has two hits in three at bats against Lyons in the majors, one for a double and the other was a home run. And this would seem like a good time to get Welington Castillo into the starting lineup … plus Castillo worked extremely well with Kyle Hendricks last season.
Right handers are batting .261/.324/.455/.778 against Tyler Lyons in the big leagues while lefties are hitting .178/.245/.256/.501.
It will be interesting to see how the Cubs respond to Monday’s loss.
Tonight all starts with Kyle Hendricks …
The Cubs could really use for the Kyle Hendricks that pitched on April 18 against the Padres to show up tonight. Hendricks has struggled with his command in three of his four starts this season and is coming off a rough outing against the Pirates.
Hendricks lasted just five innings and walked in the go ahead run. Hendricks simply does not have the stuff to compete at the big league level if he’s not throwing strikes. Hendricks walked three batters in his last outing and that was his undoing.
Kyle Hendricks has not pitched anywhere near expectations this season. And he really has to turn things around starting tonight against the Cardinals.
For as much as Hendricks has struggled this season, he has really had a hard time outside of Wrigley Field. Hendricks has allowed eight runs on 13 hits with a walk and five strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings over two starts (7.45 ERA, 1.45 WHIP).
Kyle Hendricks makes his fourth career start against the Cardinals tonight. Hendricks is 0-1 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP (six runs on 17 hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings). In one start at Busch Stadium last year, Hendricks allowed two runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts in six innings.
Cardinals Career Numbers against Kyle Hendricks
- Matt Carpenter: 5-for-8 with one walk
- Matt Holliday: 4-for-9 with two home runs
- Matt Adams: 0-for-8
- Jhonny Peralta: 3-for-8
- Kolten Wong: 1-for-7 with one walk
- Jon Jay: 1-for-7
- Yadier Molina: 0-for-4
- Mark Reynolds: 3-for-4
Tyler Lyons makes his first start of the year in the big leagues tonight. Lyons is pitching in the spot vacated by Adam Wainwright and a hole in the rotation that St. Louis will eventually fill with LHP Marco Gonzales. Lyons has been solid with Triple-A Memphis this season. In four starts for the Redbirds, Lyons was 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Lyons has given up 28 hits with six walks and 26 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings.
Tyler Lyons made his Major League debut in May of 2013 and was 0-4 in 11 games, four starts, last year with a 4.42 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP and a 3.65 FIP. Lyons gave up 33 hits with 11 walks and 36 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings.
Tonight is Lyons second career start and fifth appearance against the Cubs. Lyons is 0-1 in four games, one start, with a 7.84 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. In 10 1/3 innings, Lyons has allowed nine runs on 10 hits with a walk and 11 strikeouts.
Cubs Career Numbers against Tyler Lyons
- Starlin Castro: 2-for-5 with one triple
- Anthony Rizzo: 1-for-5
- Chris Denorfia: 0-for-2 with one walk
- Junior Lake: 2-for-3 with one double and one home run
- Welington Castillo: 0-for-2
- Travis Wood: 1-for-1
- Chris Coghlan: 0-for-1
- Jonathan Herrera: 0-for-1
- Jorge Soler: 0-for-1
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …