The pitching matchup couldn't be more different in tone. Kyle Leahy (6-4, 4.09 ERA) is a converted reliever riding a strong last outing — 5 innings, 1 earned run, 5 strikeouts against Miami — while Shota Imanaga (5-6, 4.30 ERA) is trying to find his footing after getting hit for 9 hits over 6.1 innings in his last turn, even if the Padres only scratched across 2 runs. First pitch at Wrigley is 7:08 PM CT.
Imanaga's stability matters more than usual right now because the Cubs don't have much margin for error behind him. Edward Cabrera and Jameson Taillon are both out with hamstring issues, Justin Steele isn't expected back in the rotation this season, and the bullpen has bled arms — Ben Brown, Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Daniel Palencia and Ethan Roberts are all shelved. Craig Counsell has leaned on Matthew Boyd to carry the rotation load in the meantime. On the other side, Dustin May is day-to-day with an ankle issue but hasn't been shut down entirely.
None of that matters if St. Louis just walks back into Wrigley and does what it did Friday. The Cardinals put up 17 runs on the Cubs behind three-run homers from Nathan Church and Masyn Winn, capping a stretch where they've won 4 of their last 5 and clawed into the last National League Wild Card spot. Chicago still holds the top Wild Card position and won 15 of 19 before Friday's blowout, so this is as much about answering a gut punch as it is about the standings.
Winn in particular has been the engine of the St. Louis surge — the shortstop's bat has been steady enough that he's cleared his hit total in the vast majority of his recent games, and he was right in the middle of Friday's onslaught alongside Church and Alec Burleson. The concern for the Cardinals is that the power is still fairly top-heavy, with the offense missing another true threat until Lars Nootbaar is back in the fold. For the Cubs, the ask on the Fourth is simple: get length from Imanaga and stop the bleeding before a winnable series turns into a lost one.
- Day-To-DayDustin May SP — May (ankle) will not be placed on the injured list prior to Friday's game against the Cubs, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
- 60-Day-ILRamon Urias 3B — Urias (elbow) returned to St. Louis to undergo an examination on his left elbow, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
- 10-Day-ILMatt Shaw RF — The Cubs placed Shaw on the 10-day injured list Monday due to a sprained left hand, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILEdward Cabrera SP — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that the goal is for Cabrera (hamstring) to be throwing bullpen sessions before the All-Star break, Casey Drottar of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILJameson Taillon SP — Taillon (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Sunday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
- 15-Day-ILEthan Roberts RP — The Cubs placed Roberts on the 15-day injured list Monday due to right forearm inflammation.
- 15-Day-ILDaniel Palencia RP — Palencia (elbow) is progressing in his rehab from elbow tendinitis, but he won't be activated from the injured list until after the All-Star break, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILHoby Milner RP — Milner (abdomen) will be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks after undergoing emergency appendectomy surgery on Friday, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILPhil Maton RP — The Cubs placed Maton (knee) on the 15-day injured list Friday with a right knee injury, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
- 15-Day-ILBen Brown RP — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Thursday that Brown has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his neck and will have limited activity for the next month, 104.3 The Score reports.
Both clubs are fighting for playoff position with the season past its halfway point, and a Wrigley crowd on a holiday weekend isn't going to make it easy on whichever team folds first. The Cubs have the deeper resume overall, but a laid-up bullpen and Friday's ugliness are real questions. The Cardinals have the momentum and the swagger of Friday's rout, but they're still without a true middle-of-the-order complement to their hot bats. Something has to give.