Game Seventy-Nine: Cubs (42-36) vs. Marlins (35-46)
- Game Time – 6:15pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: FOX Saturday Baseball – Radio: WBBM 780, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 184, 844
- Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Clayton Richard (0-0, -.–/-.–/-.–) vs. Jarred Cosart (1-3, 4.12/1.26/4.57)
Happy Fourth of July!
The Cubs get back to work tonight and if all goes as planned for Joe Maddon’s team, the post-game fireworks at Wrigley Field will also be celebrating a win over the Marlins.
Clayton Richard was acquired from the Pirates on Friday and will make his Cubs’ debut today. Richard gets the ball from Joe Maddon and will appear in a big league game for the first time since June 2013. Before injuries derailed his career, Richard was a solid lefty that produced results in the majors. It is unknown what to expect from Richard. Based on the way Maddon has handled his team and pitching staff, if Richard struggles early Edwin Jackson should see a lot of time tonight.
The Cubs will face a very talented pitcher in Jarred Cosart that will shut them down if they do not revert back to the team-wide approach that produced results earlier in the year. Maddon will be able to run out a balanced lineup against Cosart … right handers have hit .250/.310/.364 off him this season while left handers have managed a .217/.309/.368 line.
Tonight all starts with Clayton Richard …
Clayton Richard, not Donn Roach, will take the mound tonight. Roach was scheduled to make the start as late as Thursday. The Cubs had an opportunity to grab Richard and they did as the front office searches for pitching depth.
Clayton Richard was pitching for Triple-A Indianapolis in the Pirates’ system. Richard was 4-2 in nine starts with a 2.09 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. In 56 innings, Richard allowed 53 hits with 13 walks and 25 strikeouts. Richard has pitched into the sixth inning in each of his last six starts. In four of his last six starts he has completed at least seven innings.
Richard allowed one run on three hits with no walks and five strikeouts over seven innings to the Syracuse Chiefs his last time out.
Clayton Richard is 1-1 in three career starts against the Marlins with a 2.45 ERA and 1.36 WHIP … and he owns a 1-1 record in two starts at Wrigley with a 4.38 ERA and 1.46 WHIP.
Ichiro Suzuki (6-for-20 with one walk), Jeff Baker (1-for-3 with one double) and Dee Gordon (0-for-3) are the only three players on the Marlins’ active roster that have faced Clayton Richard in a big league ballgame.
Jarred Cosart’s last appearance was out of the Marlins’ pen. Jarred Cosart returned from the DL after spending more than a month on the DL with vertigo. Cosart gave Dan Jennings four innings and allowed two runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Due to the stint on the DL, tonight will be the first time since May 8 that Cosart has faced a team other than the Dodgers at the Major League level.
After a good start to the season (1-1 in four starts with a 2.49 ERA and 0.91 WHIP), Cosart was 0-2 in the three starts before he went on the disabled list. Cozart allowed 11 runs on 16 hits with seven walks and 12 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings (6.91 ERA, 1.60 WHIP).
Jared Cosart faces the Cubs for the first time tonight. Miguel Montero (2-for-3) is the only player on Joe Maddon’s roster that has had an at bat against Cosart in a regular season big league game.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …