The Chicago Cubs, who have some of the most passionate and patient fans in all of sports, haven’t won a postseason game since 2017.
Their last playoff appearance came in 2020.
On Monday night, the Cubs start a three-game series against the host Miami Marlins. The Cubs are in first place in the National League’s Central Division, and they have won five of their past six games.
Miami is in last place in the NL’s East Division, but the Marlins are coming off a good weekend, taking two of three games from the Tampa Bay Rays. It was the first time since 2018 that the Marlins have taken a series from their in-state rivals.
The Marlins got a three-run homer from second baseman Otto Lopez on Sunday as they defeated Tampa Bay, 5-1.
It was just Lopez’s second at-bat since returning from an ankle injury.
“Otto gave us a boost,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “He’s so good defensively, and there is more he can tap into offensively as he continues to recognize pitches.”
Monday’s pitching matchup features Miami right-hander Edward Cabrera (0-1, 5.52 ERA) against Cubs right-hander Ben Brown (3-3, 4.75).
Cabrera is 3-1 with a 3.96 ERA in five career starts against the Cubs.
He hasn’t pitched since May 10 due to a finger injury.
Brown is 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA in two appearances — including one start — against Miami. He has nine strikeouts and no walks in 7 1/3 innings.
A 25-year-old native of New York, Brown was Philadelphia’s 33rd-round pick in 2017. He made his MLB debut last year, and he showed a swing-and-miss curve in 15 appearances before going down with a neck injury.
Brown had a 3.58 ERA last year. This season, he hasn’t been as sharp, and the Cubs are 5-4 when he pitches.
Offensively, the Cubs are led by the top two hitters in their order — Pete Crow-Armstrong (.910 OPS) and Kyle Tucker (.897 OPS).
Armstrong, a 23-year-old native of California and the New York Mets’ first-round pick in 2020, has been a revelation this year.
In 47 games, he has 12 doubles, three triples, 12 homers, 38 RBIs and 14 steals in 17 attempts.
“It’s so easy to hit in this lineup,” said Armstrong, who is also a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder. “I’ve got eight other guys who can really do it.”
For the Marlins, catcher Liam Hicks has been an under-the-radar standout.
Hicks cracked a two-run homer on Sunday in Miami’s 5-1 win over Tampa Bay.
A native of Canada, Hicks was a ninth-round pick of the Texas Rangers in 2021. Three years later, he was traded to Detroit, and the Marlins claimed him in the Rule 5 Draft this past December.
Hicks finally made his MLB debut on March 28, and he has four doubles, four homers, 20 RBIs and an .839 OPS in 27 games.
“The aggressiveness in his swing has been encouraging,” McCullough said. “He is accessing pull-side power more.”
–Field Level Media
