The Chicago Cubs are gearing up for one of the longest road trips of the season as they head to the East Coast for nine games in Miami, Pittsburgh, and Washington D.C. over the span of 10 days. The Cubs will need to secure wins on the road to stay in contention for the final NL Wild-Card spot as September approaches.
Pitching probables for the series include Kyle Hendricks facing off against Miami’s Max Meyer, Shota Imanaga against Pittsburgh’s Valente Bellozo, and Javier Assad against Washington D.C.’s Adam Oller. Hendricks has been well-rested and will look to continue his solid performance in August.
Against Pittsburgh, the Cubs will send Jameson Taillon, Justin Steele, and Hendricks to the mound, facing tough right-handers with strong pitching capabilities. The Pirates may also limit the workload of their young prospects due to their position in the playoff race.
In Washington D.C., the Cubs will match up with Jake Irvin, D.J. Herz, and Mitchell Parker on the mound. Herz, a former Cubs prospect, has had a solid season with the Nationals but has struggled with allowing home runs.
The Cubs are currently 5.5 games out of a playoff spot with a slim chance of making it to the postseason. A successful road trip against rebuilding teams could potentially change their fate as they strive to make a push towards the playoffs. Javy Báez, reflecting on the 2016 championship season, shared his memories and motivation as the Cubs continue their journey on the road.
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