Hendricks gets the call vs. Tribe
With Kyle Schwarber relegated to a pinch-hitting role, will the Cubs be able to muster enough offense as the Fall Classic shifts to the Windy City?
Cleveland and Chicago meet again in Game 3 tonight, with an 8:08 p.m. ET first pitch at Wrigley Field. Online sports book Bovada.lv gives the host club odds of -165 to claim victory. Terry Francona’s troops, on the other hand, represent +130 underdogs. The over/under run figure rests at 6.5.
After making a huge impression in the series’ first two contests, Schwarber won’t get more than an at-bat this evening. The 23-year-old slugger remains unable to play in the field as he works his way back from torn anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments. Schwarber missed all but three of the Cubbies’ regular-season contests before announcing his playoff presence with a 2-for-4 performance Wednesday.
Considering the man striding to the bump, though, perhaps Chicago will fare just fine sans Schwarber. Kyle Hendricks went 9-2 with a 1.52 ERA in 15 home assignments in 2016. Most recently, the Cy Young candidate hurled 7 1/3 scoreless innings vs. the Dodgers in the NLCS.
MLB Quick Links: Scores & Matchups | Injuries | Odds Comparison | Betting Trends | ATS Stats
His counterpart, however, won’t shy away from the challenge. Josh Tomlin posted a 13-9 mark from April-September and then claimed his first two October starts. Here, he’ll try to cool down the middle of Joe Maddon’s lineup. Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist have begun to soar following lackluster results in the initial rounds.
Sooner or later, Hendricks must stumble. Yet his sinker ensures that absolute stinkers never enter the equation. Instead, we suspect Tomlin to experience a little trouble with the North Siders’ big boppers. Bank on them to help secure a 2-1 series edge.
FRIDAY MLB FREE PICK: CUBS/INDIANS OVER 6.5 RUNS