The only thing the Cubs might be paying closer attention to than the scoreboard this week is the forecast.
Where’s Tom Skilling when you need him?
A nor’easter – a powerful storm with heavy rains and strong winds, for us Midwesterners not familiar with the specifics of East Coast weather – could make its way to Boston this weekend, threatening the Cubs’ final series of the regular season against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
“It sounds like lovely weather ahead,” team president Jed Hoyer joked Tuesday.
Even before the beginning of their penultimate series of the campaign, against the Marlins at Wrigley Field, what might happen this weekend was a prominent topic of conversation.
Not only are the playoffs set to begin next Tuesday, giving little time to squeeze in any makeup games, but the games could be all-important in ironing out the bunched-up NL wild-card standings.
The Cubs started Tuesday tied with the Padres for the No. 1 wild-card spot, both teams only a game ahead of the Phillies. Should they stay tightly packed until the weekend, those contests will place the three teams, as well as determine who gets home-field advantage in the opening round.
Right now, there are still four different possibilities for where the Cubs could play a best-of-three series: Chicago, Philadelphia, San Diego and Atlanta.
So getting those games played – rather than bumping any of them to the Monday in between the end of the regular season and the start of the postseason – would obviously be preferred. Otherwise, the Cubs could end up playing Monday on the East Coast and, though it’s just one of many possibilities, flying to the West Coast for a Tuesday game against the Padres.
Hoyer didn’t offer any comments on suggestions that game times get moved or that the games themselves get moved to another city altogether.
But the Red Sox are also bound for the wild-card round and wouldn’t want to deal with those headaches, either.
“We’ve been in touch with the Red Sox and MLB,” Hoyer said. “Nothing’s decided yet, but certainly, we’re aware it’s a really bad forecast. Those things change a lot, so we’ll monitor the weather. But certainly, it’s something that’s on everyone’s radar.
“Exactly which days are in jeopardy and those things are still moving around, so we want to let that sort itself out a little bit. But it’s good that the two sides have been having discussions since yesterday.
“Playing Monday is obviously not a positive for anyone. But we’re trying to work through the different scenarios. Everyone’s aware of it. It’s [only] Tuesday.”
Still waiting to clinch
The Cubs dropped an extra-inning marathon Tuesday, falling 8-2 to the Marlins at Wrigley Field.
The game was tied heading to the 12th inning, but after six scoreless innings by the bullpen, relievers Caleb Thielbar and Edward Cabrera combined to allow six runs. Cabrera was particularly ineffective, issuing two walks, hitting a batter and allowing two singles.
The Cubs were 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position on the night, stranding six runners in extra innings alone.
A Diamondbacks win kept the Cubs’ magic number to clinch a playoff spot at one.
Shota in Game 1?
Will the Cubs tab lefty Shota Imanaga as their Game 1 playoff starter?
There’s a lot to figure out before then, but the southpaw bolstered his case Tuesday, holding the Marlins to a single run and striking out seven in five innings of work.
After struggling in September last season, Imanaga has been strong in the final month this year, with a 1.96 ERA in his last four starts.
Man of Steele
Lefty Justin Steele could find himself, finally, back on a big league mound before the end of the week.
“The plan is for him to be an option [to pitch] this weekend, possibly,” manager Craig Counsell said. “We’ll see what this weekend has in store for us and what this weekend gives us and make a decision.
“He pitched really well his last outing. And most importantly, that’s a good feeling for him, to have success and feel like, ‘I threw the ball well,’ as you work through this process of working back. That’s a great sign.”