Game One Hundred Two: Cubs (54-47) vs. Brewers (44-59)
- Game Time – 7:10pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: WGN-TV Ch. 9 – Radio: WBBM 780, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 186, 844
- Location – Miller Park, Milwaukee
- Jason Hammel (5-5, 3.20/1.02/3.16) vs. Taylor Jungmann (5-2, 2.14/1.05/3.23)
The Cubs will look for their third straight win behind Jason Hammel tonight. Joe Maddon’s team will see a different group of players in the home dugout from 24 hours ago. The Brewers made several moves prior to the deadline and called up reinforcements from the minors.
Jason Hammel has struggled in each of his last two outings after straining his left hamstring before the break. With a rested bullpen and nine relievers on the active roster, if Hammel has problems early it will be interesting to see how long Joe Maddon sticks with him. Hammel said he felt great after his last bullpen. A healthy Jason Hammel is essential to the Cubs success for the remainder of the season. If he is not right again tonight, the Cubs should consider giving him a couple of weeks off. Hammel will pitch to Kyle Schwarber tonight. After two days in left field, Schwarber will be in the starting nine and behind the plate.
The Cubs will face rookie right-hander Taylor Jungmann. And he has been extremely impressive during his first nine big league starts while exceeding projections. Joe Maddon should load up his lineup with as many lefties as possible. Jungmann has held right handers to a .176/.259/.250 line while left handers have batted .243/.328/.302 against him.
Tonight all starts with Jason Hammel …
Jason Hammel makes his third start tonight after leaving the game back on July 8 against the Cardinals with tightness in his left hamstring. Hammel has not looked like the pitcher he was prior to the injury. Hammel is leaving his pitches up and not hitting his spots. For instance, Hammel walked six batters in 35 innings in May and issued 10 free passes in 35 1/3 innings in June. In his last two games, Hammel has issued four walks in 8 2/3 innings.
Hammel is 0-1 in his last two starts with a 7.27 ERA and 1.96 WHIP. Hammel has allowed eight runs, seven earned, on 13 hits with four walks and seven strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings.
In 10 road starts this season, Hammel is 4-3 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. And he will face the Brewers for the third time this year.
Jason Hammel is 1-0 in two starts versus the Brewers with a 3.46 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Hammel received a no decision in a 5-3 loss to the Brewers on May 3 at Wrigley and beat them five days later (May 8) at Miller Park in a 7-6 win for the Cubs.
Brewers Career Numbers against Jason Hammel
- Adam Lind: 7-for-23 with one double, two home runs and one walk
- Ryan Braun: 5-for-17 with one double and three walks
- Khris Davis: 3-for-10 with one home run
- Jonathan Lucroy: 3-for-9 with one walk
- Scooter Gennett: 2-for-8 with one walk
- Jean Segura: 1-for-9
- Martin Maldonado: 0-for-4 with one walk
The Cubs get their first look in the regular season at right hander Taylor Jungmann. The 25-year old rookie has had a good start to his big league career. Jungmann has held opponents to two earned runs or less in eight of his first nine starts in the majors.
Jungmann is 3-1 in his last four starts with a 1.50 ERA and 0.90 WHIP, and at Miller Park he is 1-1 in three starts with a 1.59 ERA and 1.35 WHIP.
Taylor Jungmann has exceeded expectations through his first nine starts. Jungmann was 2-3 in 11 games, nine starts, for Triple-A Colorado Springs earlier this year with 54 strikeouts and 29 walks in 59 1/3 innings (6.37 ERA, 1.52 WHIP).
No one on Joe Maddon’s active roster has had an at-bat against Taylor Jungmann in the majors.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …