Is there a World Series hangover for the Cubs? Too early to tell but their pitching staff, in particular, is showing some signs of that. For one, the Cubs’ starters ERA went from 2.96 last year to 4.79 so far this season.
Jake Arrieta is one of the Cubs starters off to a slow start. While he’s 4-1 in six starts, he sports a worrisome 4.63 ERA. Arrieta pitched six innings and allowed three earned runs on six hits while striking out seven in a 5-4 home win over Philadelphia on May 3, his most recent start.
In any case, the Cubs’ hitters will have to come out and play in support of Arrieta. They’re slashing .250/.336/.415 as of this writing and are 10th in the majors in runs as of this writing.
Javier Baez is 9-for-23 with three homers in his last seven games. Also starting to pick up steam is reigning NL MVP Kris Bryant, who’s 9-for-25 with a pair of blasts in his last seven.
The Cubs are 5-1 in Arrieta’s last six road starts.
The Rockies are gaining momentum once again, having won four of their last five games to remain on top of the NL West division. They’re coming off back-to-back wins over Arizona, outscoring the D’backs, 14-3 in those games.
Colorado’s straight up mashing it these days at the plate. They are third in the league in homers (57) and fourth in slugging percentage (.444). Mark Reynolds is doing a fine job holding on to a starting role despite the return of Ian Desmond to the lineup. Reynolds is 5-for-11 with three home runs in his last three games. Reynolds is 4-for-15 with a home run in his career versus the Cubs’ Arrieta.
On the mound for the Rockies is Antonio Senzatela, who’s one of the only two Colorado starts that owns a sub 3.00 ERA. Senzatela is 4-1 with a 2.84 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in six starts this year. He is 2-1 with a 3.15 ERA in three starts at hitter friendly Coors Field.
