The Chicago Cubs face a massive chance to reach 16 games above .500 for the first time all year. This Friday at 1:20 CT, the team takes on the New York Yankees at Wrigley Field. A win here changes the whole mood around the North Side. The Cubs finished last season strong, but this year they need to prove they can stay there. Per Bleed Cubbie Blue, the team has not hit this mark yet despite a strong start. The stakes are high for a franchise that wants to keep climbing.
A Rare Day Game Test
Friday marks the first time the Cubs play back-to-back day games this season. They will face the Yankees on Thursday and then again on Friday afternoon. This is a rare spot for the team. According to Bleed Cubbie Blue, they only play this double-header of day games one more time later in August. The schedule is tough, but the team has handled day games well before. They won both games in the first three pairs of Thursday day games followed by Friday night games. The last time they lost both was just recently against Baltimore and Cincinnati.
The weather might play a role too. Chicago might see rain later this afternoon. Fans hope the sun stays out for the game. The team is 13-7 at home this year. They also won seven straight games on the road before this series. This mix of home and road success shows a balanced squad ready to fight.
Imanaga vs. The Struggles
Shōta Imanaga takes the mound for the Cubs. He has been the ace by default for the whole team. His stats tell a wild story of ups and downs. In his first nine starts, he had a 2.32 ERA and only gave up five home runs. Then came a rough patch where his ERA jumped to 10.80. But he fixed it fast. His next eight starts featured a 2.00 ERA and just five home runs allowed. According to Pinstripe Alley, Imanaga has a 3.72 ERA overall for the season. The Cubs even posted a message on social media about his numbers. I will keep sharing Shōta Imanaga numbers as they keep amazing me. The team trusts him to lead.
On the other side, the Yankees send out Will Warren. He is in trouble. His July stats are bad with a 7.50 ERA and a 6.78 FIP. According to Pinstripe Alley, Ryan Weathers is soon overtaking him for a rotation spot. In three of his last four outings, Weathers has performed well. Warren had one good bullpen appearance, but that does not fix his big picture problems. The Yankees need a spark, but their starter looks shaky.
A Bullpen on the Edge
The Yankees arrive in Chicago after a rough loss in extra innings. They split a series with the White Sox, but the loss hurt their confidence. The team now holds the worst MLB record in extras at 1-8. Their bullpen is likely all but exhausted after giving up a bases-loaded walk-off walk in the 11th. Per Bleed Cubbie Blue, Ryan Weathers picked up the slack on Thursday with seven scoreless innings, but the relief corps is tired.
The Cubs have a powerful offense to exploit this. Pete Crow-Armstrong leads the charge and is the likely current NL MVP leader. Besides him, seven other position players have a better than average OPS+. In terms of runs per game, only the Nationals have been better than the Cubs this season. The Yankees have to stop the bleeding or the offense will tear them apart. This game is a chance for the Cubs to show they belong at the top of the standings. If they win, they prove they can handle the pressure. If they lose, the gap to the Brewers grows even wider.
