Chicago Cubs (0-2) at Arizona Diamondbacks (0-0)
Game 1:
Date: March 27th
Time: 7:10 PM MST
Broadcast: Marquee Sports Network/ Dbacks Tv
Game 2:
Date: March 28th
Time: 6:40 PM MST
Broadcast: Marquee Sports Network/ Dbacks Tv
Game 3:
Date: March 29th
Time: 5:10 PM MST
Broadcast: Marquee Sports Network/ Dbacks Tv
Game 4:
Date: March 30th
Time: 1:10 PM MST
Broadcast: Marquee Sports Network/ Dbacks Tv
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Probable Starters:
Game 1: Justin Steele (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Zac Gallen (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Steele will make his second start of the year. Steele made the start in game two against the Dodgers in the Tokyo series. He went four innings, giving up five runs on two hits. Steel struck out five. Gallen will be the opening day starter for the Diamondbacks. He went 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA, a 3.38 FIP, a 1.26 WHIP, and a 9.5 K/9.
Game 2: James Taillon (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Merrill Kelly (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Taillon gets the ball for the second game, making his first start of the season. He went 12-8 with a 3.27 ERA, a 3.92 FIP, a 1.13 WHIP, and a 6.8 K/9. Kelly takes the bump for the Diamondbacks in game two. He went 5-1 with a 4.03 ERA, a 4.25 FIP, a 1.167 WHIP, and a 7.7 K/9 last year.
Game 3: Shota Imanaga (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Brandon Pfaadt (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Imanaga gets the third game of the series. He pitched the second game in Tokyo against the Dodgers. He pitched four innings, gave up four walks, no runs, no hits, and struck out two. The Diamondbacks counter with Pfaadt in game three. Pfaadt went 11-10 last season. He posted a 4.71 ERA, a 3.61 FIP, a 1.24 WHIP, and a 9.2 K/9.
Game 4: Matthew Boyd (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Eduardo Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Boyd gets the finale for the Cubs. He went 2-2 last season. Boyd posted a 2.72 ERA, a 3.29 FIP, a 1.13 WHIP, and a 10.4 K/9. The Diamondbacks will roll with Rodriguez in the finale. Rodriguez went 3-4 with a 5.04 ERA, a 4.57 FIP, a 1.50 WHIP, and an 8.5 K/9.
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Players to Watch:
Chicago Cubs
Miguel Amaya played in 117 games last year for the Cubs. The catcher recorded a 1.9 WAR. Amaya scored 32 runs, hit 13 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, and drove in 47 runners. He finished the 2024 season with a .232 batting average and a .644 OPS. He played in one of the two games against the Dodgers in Tokyo. In the opening two-game series, he had a double and an RBI for the Cubs. In five games last year against the Diamondbacks, Amaya had a .538 batting average. He had seven hits, two RBIs, and one run scored.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Ketel Marte played in 136 games last year for the Diamondbacks. He finished the year with a 6.8 WAR rating. Marte scored 93 runs, hit 23 doubles, two triples, 36 home runs, stole seven bases, and had 95 RBIs. He finished last year with a .292 batting average and a .932 OPS. Marte faced the Cubs six times last year. He had nine hits, two home runs, three RBIs, five runs scored, and a .360 batting average in those games.
Next Up:
Chicago Cubs: March 31st-April 2nd at Athletics
Arizona Diamondbacks: March 31st-April 2nd at New York Yankees
