Game One Hundred Three: Cubs (62-40) vs. Mariners (51-50)
- Game Time – 1:20pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: WSCR 670 The Score, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 183, 844
- Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Jake Arrieta, RHP (12-4, 2.76/1.08/2.99) vs. Wade Miley, LHP (6-8, 5.23/1.41/5.01)
Weather permitting … The Cubs look for two wins in a row over the Mariners behind Jake Arrieta this afternoon.
The Cubs have won three straight and have held off the surging Cardinals. The Cubs must continue to take care of business at home against the Mariners … especially on a day in which Jake Arrieta takes the mound.
It will be interesting to see which catcher Arrieta throws to this afternoon. With the lefty Wade Miley on the bump, Joe Maddon should start David Ross. The Cubs have not paired Arrieta with Willson Contreras yet, other than side sessions, and right-handers hit a lot better than left-handers against Miley. But Miguel Montero knows Miley extremely well from their time together in Arizona.
Joe Maddon should load today’s lineup with as many right-handed bats as possible. Right-handers have a .848 against Miley this season with 32 extra basehits (16 doubles, a triple, 15 home runs) and a .296/.354/.494 slash line. Left-handers have a .716 OPS and nine extra basehits (six doubles, three home runs) while slashing .250/.296/.420.
Today all start with Jake Arrieta …
Jake Arrieta built off his start against the Mets the last time out on the South Side, that is for the first five innings. Arrieta allowed one run in five frames, repeated his mechanics and threw strikes. What appeared to be another positive outing for Arrieta went south in a hurry in the sixth inning.
Arrieta could not put away Tim Anderson. And the long at-bat from the Sox’s shortstop changed the game. Arrieta started missing, fell behind and eventually served up a three-run homer to Todd Frazier. Arrieta received a no-decision (for those that follow pitcher’s wins-losses) but the Cubs are a rather concerning 1-5 in Arrieta’s last six starts dating back to June 22 versus the Cardinals.
The Cubs have lost their mojo in games Arrieta starts. Maybe today will be the first of a long stretch of good days on the hill for Arrieta and wins for the Cubs on the days he pitches.
Jake Arrieta is 0-2 in his last four starts with a 5.55 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. Teams are hitting an incredibly high .273 against him. Arrieta has allowed 15 runs, all earned, on 27 hits with six walks and 24 strikeouts. At Wrigley Field this season, Arrieta is 4-2 in nine starts with a 1.61 ERA and 1.13 WHIP.
Jake Arrieta is 0-1 in three games, two starts, in his career against the Mariners with a 4.63 ERA and 1.37 WHIP.
Mariners Career Numbers against Jake Arrieta
- Adam Lind: 4-for-23 with one double, one home run and five walks
- Robinson Cano: 5-for-19 with two doubles and four walks
- Nori Aoki: 0-for-8 with two walks
- Nelson Cruz: 4-for-10 with one home run and one walk
- Seth Smith: 1-for-4 with one home run and one walk
- Chris Iannetta: 0-for-2
- Franklin Gutierrez: 0-for-1
- Luis Sardinas: 0-for-1
- Kyle Seager: 0-for-1
Wade Miley has struggled in his first season with the Mariners. Miley is pitching for his third different team in as many years and hasn’t come close to the success he had with the Diamondbacks early in his career. Miley had the stuff to be a top of the rotation starter but has not been able to put it together at the big league level.
Miley has lost his last six games and the Mariners are 3-7 the last 10 times he’s started a game. Miley put together a quality start in Toronto his last time out. Miley allowed two runs on four hits in six innings. The Mariners lost the game 2-0.
Over his last four starts, Miley is 0-4 with a 4.07 ERA and 1.48 WHIP, which is his best stretch of the year. On the road this season, Miley is 3-4 in 10 starts with a 5.46 ERA and 1.56 WHIP. Today is Miley’s sixth career start against the Cubs.
Wade Miley is 3-1 in five starts against the Cubs with a 3.89 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. And at Wrigley Field, Miley is 0-1 in two starts with a 7.50 ERA and 1.33 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Wade Miley
- Dexter Fowler: 6-for-17 with one double, one home run and four walks
- Anthony Rizzo: 2-for-12 with one double and one walk
- Ben Zobrist: 1-for-11 with one double and one walk
- Jason Heyward: 1-for-8 with one double
- David Ross: 0-for-2
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …