Cubs-Dodgers Series Preview

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The Cubs started off the 2017 campaign with a successful intra-division road trip against the Cardinals and Brewers en route to a 4–2 start. The Cubs now must set their sights on the Los Angeles Dodgers in their first home series of 2017. It promises to be an emotional series as the Cubs honor their 2016 World Series victory one more time in front of the team they beat in the NLCS to make it to the Fall Classic. The Cubs catch a break by avoiding perennial Cy Young candidate Clayton Kershaw in this series as the dominant lefty pitched on Saturday against the Rockies.

Game 1- Jon Lester vs. Alex Wood, 7:05 PM CDT

The Cubs will be unveiling their 2016 championship banner before the nationally televised game as it’s the defending champs’ home opener. Lester takes the mound after battling through five innings of one-run ball against the Cardinals his last time out. Lester did not have his best stuff in that start, so it will be interesting to see how he and Willson Contreras gel after one start under their belt.

For the Dodgers, Alex Wood will be making his first start of 2017. The crafty lefty is starting in place of the injured Rich Hill who has seen his blister problems rear their ugly head once more. Wood has appeared in relief already this season, tossing two scorless innings against the Padres. Wood does have experience starting in his career with 77 starts in which he’s posted a 3.40 ERA and an identical 3.40 FIP.

Game 2- John Lackey vs. Brandon McCarthy, 7:05 PM CDT

Prior to game two of this three game set the Cubs will be presented with their championship rings. This coincidentally falls on Lackey’s night on the bump as the outspoken veteran famously exclaimed in the middle of 2016 that he came here for some jewelry, not a haircut. Well, Wednesday night that statement will come true. David Ross will also be joining the festivities and throwing out the first pitch after he gets a monstrous standing O from the Wrigley faithful.

In Lackey’s first start of 2017 he went six strong innings giving up three runs to record his first win of the year. Lackey recorded seven strikeouts in that outing, so we’ll see if he can continue his strong start against a lineup that hits righties extremely well.

McCarthy is set to start for the Dodgers in this one after winning his first start of 2017 against the Padres, going six innings and surrendering only two runs. The journeyman spent most of 2016 dealing with injuries, only appearing in 10 games and posting a pedestrian 4.95 ERA in those appearances.

Game 3- Brett Anderson vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu, 1:20 PM CDT

There will be no ceremonies before this one, but Anderson will be matched up against his former team for the first time since signing with the Cubs as a free agent this past offseason. Anderson impressed in his initial outing for the Cubs, going 5.2 innings against the Brewers and allowing only one run. Anderson will look to build off of this by quieting a Dodger lineup that infamously struggles with lefties.

The Dodgers will lean on South Korean native Hyun-Jin Ryu in the final game of the set at Wrigley. Ryu only went 4.2 innings in his first start against the Rockies, giving up two runs and getting the loss as a reult. Ryu also spent much of 2016 injured, appearing in only one game for the Dodgers. However, when he’s healthy, Ryu has been rather effective. The lefty has a career 3.29 ERA and an impressive 3.73 K/BB ratio in his career.

Ryu has faced the Cubs twice in his career and has gone a combined 12.1 innings pitched while giving up only four runs.

The Dodgers enter the series 4–3 on the young season while the Cubs enter the week at a 4–2 mark. This will be the first of two series played in 2017 between the two favorites in the National League.

Jason Schwartz is the Editor in Chief of BulletinBoard, a Chicago Bulls blog. Only his love for the Cubs would dare him to write elsewhere. You can find him on Twitter here.