Chicago Cubs ace Marcus Stroman listened to his body and skipped the All-Star Game to rest.
The move proved prophetic in his first start of the second half, but things weren’t so sunny for Stroman in his next outing.
He’ll aim to move past those struggles Wednesday as the visiting Cubs try for a two-game sweep of the crosstown Chicago White Sox.
After defeating the Boston Red Sox on July 15 behind six innings of one-run ball, Stroman (10-7, 3.09 ERA) faltered in Thursday’s loss to St. Louis.
The Cardinals reached Stroman for five runs (four earned) and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. Stroman walked four in his third-shortest start of the season.
“Just one of those games where you feel like kind of everything works against you,” Stroman said. “Didn’t help with the walks. Just felt like I was slightly off mechanically, just missing the zone, getting behind in counts. Didn’t get ahead much, and then they put some good swings on balls.
“Just one of those games I felt like nothing could go my way and I couldn’t get in a rhythm.”
The Cubs extended their winning streak to four games with Tuesday’s 7-3 win against the White Sox in the series opener.
It marked the first time since 1901 that the Cubs had four home runs and five stolen bases in the same game. Dansby Swanson belted two home runs and Nico Hoerner had a homer and two steals.
The White Sox were outhit 13-5 on the way to their fourth straight defeat and sixth loss in seven games. Chicago fell to 20 games under .500 for the first time since 2019.
“There’s a style we want to play, there’s a culture we want to build,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “It hasn’t happened. That’s on me. On me. Nobody else. It’s on me. There’s only one way to go. That’s put your head down and keep working.”
The White Sox reinstated third baseman Yoan Moncada (lower back inflammation) from the injured list before Tuesday’s game.
Moncada’s return to the lineup shifted Jake Burger to second base. Meanwhile, Andrew Vaughn was back at first base after a five-game absence with a bone bruise in his left foot.
Lance Lynn (6-9, 6.18) is set to start for the White Sox. Lynn is coming off Friday’s loss in Minnesota, when he allowed nine runs (six earned) and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.
In 23 career appearances against the Cubs, including 22 starts, Lynn is 6-8 with a 5.11 ERA.
Stroman is tied for 16th in the majors with 122 1/3 innings pitched, while his 21 starts are just one behind the league lead. Still, he’s just 1-2 with a 6.20 ERA in four July starts.
Stroman is 2-4 with a 4.27 ERA in 10 career starts against the White Sox. He took a no-decision against them on May 29 of last season, scattering three hits, two walks and two strikeouts in seven shutout innings.
The game could mark the final appearance for Stroman with the Cubs and Lynn with the White Sox. Both pitchers are rumored trade targets ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline.
–Field Level Media
