National League Division Series Game 3: Cubs (103-58-1, 2-0) vs. Giants (87-75, 1-2)
- Game Time – 8:38pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: FS1 – Radio: WSCR 670 The Score, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 183(Cubs), 844(Cubs), 89(Giants)
- Location – AT&T Park, San Francisco
Jake Arrieta (18-8, 3.10/1.08/3.52) vs. Madison Bumgarner (15-9, 2.74/1.02/3.24)
The National League Division Series – Game 3
Cubs lead Best-of-Five Series, 2-0
It’s Game 3 of the National League Division Series. It’s Arrieta versus Bumgarner and with a win tonight the Cubs will advance in the postseason tournament.
The Cubs have a tough task ahead of them tonight with Madison Bumgarner on the mound. Very few are giving the Cubs even a slim chance of winning tonight. Most feel there will be a Game 4 on Tuesday at AT&T Park. It’s up to the Cubs to take care of business behind Jake Arrieta and have a happy flight back to Chicago following a short trip to the West Coast.
Jake Arrieta and Madison Bumgarner square off for the third time on the year tonight. Arrieta and Bumgarner faced off in a practice game in the Cactus League in the spring and again last month at Wrigley. Bumgarner won the game that counted and of the three games the Giants have won this year against the Cubs he has started two of them.
The Cubs must take advantage of every scoring chance they get tonight while not helping the Giants in any way. The Giants have won nine consecutive postseason elimination games and have not lost a series in October under Bruce Bochy. Being down two games to none is nothing for this team. The Cubs are not taking anything for granted and if Arrieta is on, Game 3 could be very reminiscent of Game 1 at Wrigley.
Joe Maddon hinted at a possible lineup shakeup. If he does make changes, it could be as minimal as Albert Almora Jr. starting in the outfield and David Ross catching Arrieta instead of Miguel Montero.
Tonight all starts with Jake Arrieta …
Jake Arrieta did not finish the regular season the way he would have liked. Arrieta had a good season and put together a solid year as a follow up to his Cy Young season. Arrieta pitched closer to the way he did during his breakout 2014 campaign, not the historical second half that many unrealistically expected from him.
Arrieta struggled with his mechanics throughout the season which led to an increased walk rate and raised concerns. Arrieta did not sugarcoat his final month. He was not good and admitted as much when he was asked. Arrieta was 2-3 in his last five starts with a 4.60 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. Arrieta allowed 17 runs, 15 earned, on 27 hits with 11 walks and 29 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings.
After the break, Arrieta was 6-4 in 13 starts with a 3.69 ERA and 1.07 WHIP.
Jake Arrieta said he would be on top of his game in his first start of the postseason. Arrieta takes the hill for the first time tonight since Sept. 28 and the Cubs are expecting a lot from him.
Arrieta was 11-3 in 15 starts on the road this season with a 3.59 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. And in his last six starts in the state of California, Arrieta has allowed one earned run on 15 hits (zero home runs) with nine walks and 44 strikeouts in 45 innings (0.20 ERA, 0.53 WHIP).
In two starts against the Giants this season, Arrieta was 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. After Jason Heyward’s game-changing catch in San Francisco, Arrieta went on to complete seven innings on May 20 and allowed one run on four hits. Arrieta walked two and struck out eight in an 8-1 Cubs win. Arrieta had a quality start in a 3-2 loss to Bumgarner at Wrigley on Sept. 3. Arrieta gave up three runs, two earned, on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings.
For his career, Arrieta is 4-2 in six starts against the Giants with a 1.82 ERA and 0.91 WHIP (10 runs ,eight earned, 26 hits, 10 walks, 38 strikeouts, 39 2/3 innings). And at AT&T Park, Arrieta is 3-1 in four starts with a 2.08 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.
Giants Career Numbers against Jake Arrieta
- Denard Span: 4-for-20 with one double and one walk
- Buster Posey: 1-for-15 with one walk
- Brandon Crawford: 1-for-13 with two walks
- Hunter Pence: 3-for-13 with one walk
- Brandon Belt: 0-for-10 with two walks
- Angel Pagan: 5-for-11 with one double
- Eduardo Nunez: 3-for-8 with one walk
- Ehire Adrianza: 2-for-8
- Gregor Blanco: 0-for-7
- Conor Gillaspie: 2-for-6 with one walk
- Joe Panik: 2-for-5 with one walk
- Tony Sanchez: 0-for-3
- Kelby Tomlinson: 1-for-2
Giants Numbers against Jake Arrieta in 2016
- Brandon Belt: 0-for-5 with one walk
- Brandon Crawford: 1-for-5 with one walk
- Angel Pagan: 3-for-6 with one double
- Joe Panik: 2-for-5 with one walk
- Hunter Pence: 0-for-6
- Buster Posey: 0-for-6
- Denard Span: 0-for-6
- Conor Gillaspie: 0-for-3
- Eduardo Nunez: 1-for-2
- Gregor Blanco: 0-for-1
The word ‘legend’ was used regularly after Madison Bumgarner’s last start to help describe the way he’s pitched in the postseason. Madison Bumgarner shut out the Mets in the NL Wild Card and he’s expected to do the same to the Cubs tonight.
Only a few outside of the Cubs’ clubhouse is giving Joe Maddon’s team a shot at beating him tonight.
Bumgarner was not that good after the break, except for his start against the Cubs. Bumgarner was 5-5 in 15 starts with a 3.80 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. And in six starts in September, Bumgarner was 2-1 with a 3.92 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.
The Cubs must change the game plan they used against him this season. It didn’t work. The Cubs should make him work and see how he adjusts to the patient approach.
Bumgarner was 2-0 in two starts against the Cubs this year with a 1.13 ERA and 0.63 WHIP. Bumgarner allowed two runs on eight hits with two walks and 16 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings. Bumgarner lasted only six innings at Wrigley and gave up two runs on five hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts (3.00 ERA, 0.83 WHIP).
For his career, Madison Bumgarner is 8-2 in 12 starts against the Cubs with a 2.25 ERA and 1.03 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Madison Bumgarner
- Dexter Fowler: 8-for-38 with one triple and four walks
- Miguel Montero: 6-for-32 with one double
- Jason Heyward: 5-for-18 with one home run and one walk
- Anthony Rizzo: 3-for-16 with three walks
- Ben Zobrist: 6-for-12 with one double, one triple and one walk
- Matt Szczur: 2-for-10 with one walk
- Kris Bryant: 1-for-8
- David Ross: 2-for-9 with one home run
- Javier Baez: 1-for-7
- Chris Coghlan: 2-for-7 with one double
- Addison Russell: 0-for-7
- Jorge Soler: 0-for-3 with one walk
- Willson Contreras: 2-for-3 with one double
- Tommy La Stella: 0-for-1
Cubs Numbers against Madison Bumgarner in 2016
- Dexter Fowler: 0-for-7
- Kris Bryant: 1-for-5
- Addison Russell: 0-for-5
- Matt Szczur: 1-for-6
- Ben Zobrist: 1-for-6
- Javier Baez: 1-for-3
- Anthony Rizzo: 0-for-3 with one walk
- Jorge Soler: 0-for-3 with one walk
- Willson Contreras: 2-for-3 with one double
- David Ross: 1-for-3
- Tommy La Stella: 0-for-1
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …