Chicago Cubs Series Preview: Colorado bound as Cubs go West

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Following a rain-soaked homestand, the Chicago Cubs take their talents to the Mile High City, to open up a three-game road series against the Colorado Rockies.

After a homestand for the boys in blue which saw four postponements in only nine days, Cubs fans, and most importantly the Cubs, may be excited to moving away from the Windy City for the next week.

For the Cubs (8-8), consistency is the name of the game. The bats have been the definition of hot and cold throughout this first month of the season, as they have scored 5+ runs in seven of their first seventeen ball games, including three games of 10+ runs scored. Despite a +14 run differential, the losses have been brutal, including five shutouts. Coors Field should give the Cubs a great chance to keep their momentum going.

The Rockies (11-9) are off to a relatively routine start to begin their season. They turn to staff ace Jon Gray (1-3, 6.23) in the opener of this three-game set, who is also looking to find his footing early on.

Colorado has always found a way to be a thorn in the Cubs side. Will the bats find a way to keep the momentum going or will the mile-high hurlers keep the runs at bay?

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Where they sit: Chicago Cubs

Record: 8-8, 4th in National League Central

Record (Last 10): 5-5

E.R.A: 3.90 (10th in N.L.)

OBP: .341 (2nd in N.L.)

Team HR: 17 (11th in N.L.)

Team Leader – WAR: Kris Bryant: 1.0 (Fangraphs)

All about building on momentum

For the third time of the season, the Cubs offense put up eight runs, resulting in a victory and series-split with the Cardinals. As the team heads to the thin air of Coors Field, it is essential for the bats to continue their offensive surge.

Kris Bryant has genuinely begun his 2018 season, slashing .328/.468/.557 with 2 HR and 10 RBI. He has also found great success playing at Coors Field, as Bryant has slashed .346/.370/.615 with 2 HR and 7 RBI in his career. Facing Gray off the bat should help him, as he can hopefully continue his hot start and be the driving catalyst for the team this weekend.

Conversely, the leader of this team, Anthony Rizzo, is fresh off his minor stint on the 10-day DL, and will himself look to make a severe impact for the offense this weekend. Similar to Kris Bryant, facing Jon Gray should give Rizzo a chance to get something going. Gray has found himself leaving the ball in the zone with two strikes a fair bit, so expect Rizzo to have a good chance at taking Gray deep.

Over the past week, it has been great to see contributions from guys not named Rizzo or Bryant. Javier Baez has been on fire, and even Jason Heyward has found his consistency over the past couple of games. The offense needs to continue hitting all the way through and keep building on their momentum.

PITTSBURGH, PA – APRIL 16: DJ LeMahieu /

Where they sit: Colorado Rockies

Record: 11-9 (2nd in National League West)

Record (Last 10): 6-4

ERA: 4.24 (12th in N.L.)

OBP: .285 (Last in N.L.)

Team HR: 27 (First in N.L.)

Team Leader – WAR: DJ LeMahieu & Charlie Blackmon: 0.8 (Fangraphs)

Home is where the heart is

Like most teams, the Colorado Rockies have always found more success at home than on the road. It has not rung right thus far this season, however, as they are 2-4 in Coors this season. The Rockies have found more considerable success on the road though, starting 9-5. For them, it’s all about finding that advantage once again.

Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu have been the hottest bats for Colorado to this point. Blackmon leads the team in home runs with seven, followed closely by LeMahieu, who isn’t known as a power guy, at five. Both are above .300 as well as tied for the team lead in WAR.

Ian Desmond started hot for the Rockies, however, has since fallen off as he is at just a .162/.194/.353 clipping with 4 HR and 11 RBI. He has been worth -0.4 WAR to this point in the season. The Rockies need him to find his bat more consistently to build on his beginning.

As for the guy they are facing, the Rockies have found some success against Chicago Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks. Hendricks owns a career 4.04 ERA versus the Rockies. However, his ERA on the road in Coors has been impressive at 3.28. To add to it, in 24.2 innings at altitude, Hendricks has given up just one home run. For the Rockies, this means Carlos Gonzalez needing to step up. He should provide a stingy match-up for the Rockies.

CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 12: Kyle Hendricks /

Aces collide

As previously mentioned, the series kicks off tonight with Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 3.71) taking the mound for the Cubs, opposing Rockies ace Jon Gray (1-3, 6.23). The Rockies could well need their bullpen early in the game.

Gray has given up three home runs in his last two starts, including two in a home start against the Padres. He has had one perfect outing, mixed among the mediocre starts. In Gray’s last home start, he went 5 IP and gave up 7 ER to the Padres.

Opposing teams have a .385 BABIP as well as a 1.25 HR/9 against Gray so far in 2018. The Cubs were BABIP’d to death early on in the season, so they will look to turn it around versus Grey.

He is facing Chicago for the first time in his young career so look for the Cubs to swing early and often in hopes of setting an early tempo.

As the road ace, Kyle Hendricks toes the rubber for the Cubs, as he looks for his first victory of this young season. Positively, Hendricks has looked solid early on, as two of his first three starts have been quality starts. Teams have batted just .257 off him, and a BABIP of just .264.

On the contrary side, he has given up multiple home runs in his last two starts, as well as posted a surprisingly high 3.71 BB/9. Hendricks can hopefully turn the table on that tonight.

A new experience for Yu

In the second game of the series, Yu Darvish
(0-1, 6.00) opposes Tyler Anderson (0-0, 4.74). It will be an intriguing match-up as Darvish has never faced the Rockies in Coors. He does have one career start against them, however, going 4.1 IP and giving up 5 ER.

Anderson meanwhile has faced the Cubs once, going 7 IP and giving up 5 ER, in a start back in 2016. After an abysmal first start, Anderson has bounced back well with two Quality Starts. His issue of command could come into play in his start as he walked six vs. Washington his last time out and has a porous 5.68 BB/9.

Quintana hopes to find success

In an Earth Day daytime series finale, Jose Quintana (1-1, 8.16) faces off against German Marquez (1-1, 4.34).

The big Cubs lefty is off to a rocky start. After what was seemingly a great first start for Quintana vs. the Marlins, quickly evaporated into something tragic. Then Quintana showed his good stuff in a road match-up vs. the Brewers. This last time out, it was slow sailing for the S.S. Jose, as he went just 2.1 IP and gave up 7 ER to the Braves.

Jose Quintana has two career starts vs. the Rockies, both as the ace for the Chicago White Sox. He has a career 3.65 ERA against them; both starts coming in Coors Field. If Quintana can get his slider working, he could continue his dominance against the Rockies.

Likewise, German Márquez has undoubtedly had the Cubs number in his experience facing them. A minute sample size, Márquez has a 0.82 ERA in 11 IP. In like fashion, he did throw eight shutout innings, striking out eight, at Coors last year vs. the Cubs. The Cubs will hopefully find success in the series-finale matinee.

Prediction: Cubs sweep the series

In the Joe Maddon era, the Chicago Cubs are 20-24 against the Rockies, going 8-13 on the road. On the contrary of lack of success, the Cubs are in a great spot to sweep this series.

Kyle Hendricks is incredibly reliable and is usually as close to as a sure thing as you’ll get. Jon Gray has struggled mightily out of the gate, giving the Cubs a great chance to build on their recent offensive success. I think that Gray continues to leave the ball up and the Cubs take advantage for the victory.

The second game features Yu Darvish’ Coors Field debut. In contrast like his lackluster start against the Rockies last season, I believe Darvish will right the ship of his start to the season and find a consistently good start on Saturday. Regarding Anderson, I think he will struggle with command, and guys like Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras will take advantage.

Next: Jon Lester's 100 games in Chicago

In the finale, Jose Quintana, I believe, will shut the door and finish the sweep off for the Cubs. Quintana has found success at Coors in his two starts, and will continue to see progress. In spite of the small track record of success for Márquez against the Cubs, I surely believe the Cubs will break that streak and hit him hard, sweeping the series as a result.

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Chicago Cubs Series Preview: Looking for consistency, team heads out to face Colorado