Ben Zobrist was the leadoff hitter in Tuesday night's lineup for the Chicago Cubs, but that game against the Cincinnati Reds was rained out. However, we will see him debut as the leadoff man this season Friday night against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Zobrist has been one of the best surprises for the Cubs early this season, hitting the ball hard in every game he's started. That continued last night, when Zobrist had two more hits registered above 100 mph off the bat.
Zobrist will start in right field, while Kyle Schwarber is back in left. Jason Heyward smashed his first home run of the year last night and he's in center, which means Ian Happ will be on the bench along with Albert Almora Jr.
It is very possible that Cubs manager Joe Maddon gives Happ a few more days off, as the second-year player looks completely lost at the plate. Happ did get a hit in Thursday's 8-0 win, but struck out four more times in six at-bats. His strikeout rate early in the season? Ugly.
That's 14 strikeouts in 24 plate appearances for Happ through six games. As for their opponent, Brandon Woodruff is making his first start of the season. He has two relief appearances already in 2018, allowing two runs on six hits in 3.1 innings. In 2017, Woodruff made eight starts for the Brewers, putting up a 4.81 ERA and 1.33 WHIP over 43 innings. Woodruff made one start against the Cubs last year, giving up four earned runs in five innings. For the Cubs, Kyle Hendricks is coming off a solid six-inning start against the Miami Marlins. He allowed one run in that game. In 2017, Hendricks made five starts against the Brewers. He pitched a total of 28 innings, allowing 13 earned runs. Hendricks was much better in the last three starts against Milwaukee in 2017, only giving up five runs in 17 innings. The Brewers announced that their closer Corey Knebel has been placed on the disabled list after suffering a hamstring injury Thursday night.
Brewers manager Craig Counsell later said the closer would be out at least six weeks.
Knebel saved 39 games for the Brewers last year.
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