As the visiting St. Louis Cardinals search for a series victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday afternoon, it will be tough to top a historic day at Wrigley Field.
In St. Louis’ 8-4 road win on Saturday, the organization’s No. 3 prospect, Joshua Baez, became the first player in major league history to hit three home runs in his debut.
“It’s unreal,” Baez said. “I really can’t put it into words, but it’s honestly just a dream come true. I was just trying to stay calm, embrace it and just try to have fun.”
When the dust settles from Baez’s incredible introduction, a win on Sunday would mark the first time since 2022 that the Cardinals clinched both road series at Chicago.
Hunter Dobbins (2-3, 3.40 ERA) has pieced together a pair of decent starts in August but received zero run support across 11 1/3 innings in two losses. Last time out, Dobbins went five innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out six and walking three in a 6-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday. The Cardinals offense scored five runs after Dobbins’ exit.
In his previous start, Aug. 4 on the road against the New York Yankees, Dobbins turned in a quality start but lost 2-0. He allowed two earned runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings.
The 26-year-old right-hander has walked three batters in each of his past two starts and needed 97 pitches to get through five frames against the Phillies.
“I guess the one thing I can take away is that I competed,” Dobbins said of his last outing. “I’ve got to find a way to execute pitches in all counts. You’ve got to stay ahead of hitters, pound the strike zone early and just stay in attack mode.”
Dobbins, who was traded from Boston in December as part of a package that sent Willson Contreras to the Red Sox, has faced the Cubs twice in his career — both outings this year. He allowed five runs in nine innings in two appearances against Chicago. On May 31, he earned a save in the 5-1 win after throwing 3 2/3 innings, giving up one run on four hits. On July 27, he pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits in a 7-4 loss.
In a 10-4 start to August, the Cubs have won three consecutive series and seek their fourth in a row. Chicago, which was on the wrong side of history on Saturday, allowed its most runs since an 8-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 26.
“He hit three different pitches for home runs,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Baez’s debut. “He had a great game. He just beat us, for sure.”
Edward Cabrera (5-4, 5.10) will look for better success against Baez and the Cardinals on Sunday when he returns to the major league mound for the first time in nearly two months. The 28-year-old right-hander was placed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain on June 24 following a lackluster stretch. Cabrera posted an 8.35 ERA in four June appearances before the injury.
The offseason acquisition in a trade with the Miami Marlins made three minor league rehab appearances, going 0-1 with a 2.53 ERA across a start with Double-A Knoxville and two with Triple-A Iowa.
“Edward pitched very well,” Counsell said of Cabrera’s last minor league start, which saw him hurl five no-hit innings against the Double-A Rocket City on Tuesday. “The line indicates that.”
Cabrera is 0-2 with a 3.52 ERA in three career starts against St. Louis.
–Field Level Media
