Even though he gave up two home runs in Game 5 of the NLDS against the Washington Nationals, there is still no other pitcher that I feel more confident in starting an important postseason game than Kyle Hendricks for the Chicago Cubs.
Right now the outlook is bleak for the Cubs, who are down 2-0 in the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Hendricks is on the mound for Game 3 and his presence alone should help calm any uneasy feelings. Why? Just look at the numbers.
While Joe Maddon hasn't always had the most confidence in Hendricks during the playoffs, the right-hander has remained unfazed by the magnitude of postseason baseball. In nine playoff starts, Hendricks has a 2.60 ERA, with the Cubs winning six of those nine games. That includes his impressive 7.1 inning performance in Game 6 of the NLCS last year, when the Cubs won the NL pennant and advanced to the World Series.
We've already witnessed his brilliance this postseason, throwing seven shutout innings in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Nationals. Now, after the first two games against the Dodgers we know that the overall pitching hasn't been a problem for the Cubs. Jose Quintana and Jon Lester gave up a total of three runs. However, those two only combined for 9.2 innings.
With the struggles of Mike Montgomery and inconsistency of Carl Edwards Jr., it is absolutely imperative that Hendricks goes deep in Game 3 to avoid uncomfortable decisions that may pop up for Joe Maddon. So, just make it easy for everyone watching, and pitch nine shutout innings, Kyle. Thanks.
Of course I feel great about Hendricks facing the Dodgers, but none of it matters if the Cubs can't score early against Yu Darvish. Must score early before Dave Roberts goes to the LA bullpen, or once again the Cubs will be at a disadvantage.
With that in mind, the Cubs have a new look in their starting lineup.
Javier Baez is out, Ben Zobrist is in, Kyle Schwarber is batting second and Jon Jay isn't leading off. Bryzzo is 3-4, so changes were made now it's up to the players to execute. For more in-depth analysis on what the Cubs need to do to win, consider the following. https://www.sportsmockery.com/2017/10/theres-one-thing-cubs-need-comeback-win-nlcs/
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