Chicago Cubs' starting pitchers up for a big finish
The Chicago Cubs may not have a starting pitcher reach 200 innings this season.
Stints on the disabled list have taken care of that, but the upside in September and possibly in October could be a well-rested and ready starting staff.
Kyle Hendricks, whom the Cubs eased back into action with a month-and-a-half stay on the DL in June and July has looked strong since his return. He worked 6⅔ innings Thursday night's series-opening 6-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field.
That moved Hendricks' ERA since the break to 2.31 and to 3.32 for the season to go with a record of 6-4.
Another key is ace left-hander Jon Lester, who will come off the DL to start Saturday. Lester has been on the DL since Aug. 18, and the rest may do him some good as well.
Lester was the lone Cubs starter to work at least 200 innings last year, with Hendricks, Jake Arrieta and John Lackey coming close.
"That's been the whole thing," said manager Joe Maddon, whose team improved to 73-60 and stayed 3½ games ahead of the Brewers in the National League Central. "I do think we're in good physical shape, pitch-count wise, innings wise. Guys have had rest through injury. They're really good right now. It should benefit us in September and October."
For right now, the Cubs have a six-man rotation. Lefty Mike Montgomery has taken Lester's spot in the rotation, and he will start Sunday, with Arrieta being pushed back to Labor Day at Pittsburgh.
Hendricks, who had a 4.09 ERA when he went on the DL in early June, has looked more like the ERA champ of last year in the second half.
Thursday's start was his fourth quality in a row. He walked a pair of batters in the first inning but picked one of them off first base. For the game, Hendricks gave up 5 hits and 2 runs, 1 earned, while walking three and striking out five.
"Kind of from the start today, it was just one of those uncomfortable (outings), felt weird, command was terrible," Hendricks said. "It started in the bullpen, really. My timing was off. I wasn't staying over the rubber well. Yeah, so Bos (pitching coach Chris Bosio) came out there, tried to give me some cues, and I tried working on it."
His teammates got him a pair of runs in the bottom of the first on an RBI groundout by Anthony Rizzo and a single by Javier Baez.
The Cubs picked up an unearned run in the third.
Kris Bryant hit a 2-run homer in the sixth to give the Cubs a 5-1 lead. It was Bryant's 25th of the season, making him the first Cubs player in franchise history with at least 25 homers in each of his first three seasons.
"Pretty crazy when you think of the history of this organization, to be the first to do that," Bryant said. "It's really cool, an honor and very humbling. It feels good."
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