Darvish turning corner; Maddon mulling DH options
Left-hander Jose Quintana set a career high with 12 hits allowed Sunday in the Cubs’ 10-2 loss to the Reds.
“That’s really tough,” Quintana said. “Too many base hits.”
Much of the damage came on soft hits that dropped just beyond the infield. Quintana left in the sixth inning after allowing six runs (five earned) — his most runs allowed since April 5 against the Brewers.
“They didn’t just beat him up,” manager Joe Maddon said. “It was one of those things that balls were falling in and it just seemed like he couldn’t make a pitch when he needed to.”
Quintana dropped to 4-4 with a 3.73 ERA. His next outing likely will come on the road against the Cardinals.
“Just keep pitching,” Quintana said. “Keep my focus.”
A new Yu
Yu Darvish isn’t exactly contending for a Cy Young Award with a 2-3 record and a 5.40 ERA through 11 starts. But Maddon is hopeful the 32-year-old will turn a corner after logging his longest outing with the Cubs. Darvish pitched seven innings for the first time since Sept. 25, 2017, in Saturday’s 8-6 win over the Reds.
The line score was not pretty, as Darvish allowed six runs, 12 hits and two walks while striking out five. But he saved a tired bullpen and threw 82 strikes, the most by a Cubs pitcher this season.
“Give Yu credit,” Maddon said. “Because if he doesn’t do that, we don’t win that game.
“Furthermore, that is a perfect example of stretching one’s mind. I think that as he moves forward, after that game, he knows he can do it. He’s done it in the past, I know, but it’s been awhile. So now it’s been reaffirmed that ‘I can do that.’ I think that can be a positive moment for him moving down the road.”
DH options
The Cubs will use a designated hitter for their next three games against the Astros on the road. Maddon said he’ll likely give Willson Contreras one start at DH, but not multiple starts, even though such an approach could save Contreras’ legs behind the plate for a few days while still allowing the Cubs to benefit from his bat.
“As a catcher, you want to be involved,” Maddon said. “It’s not as easy to do as you think, to sit around and go hit.”
The Cubs have played five previous games in American League parks this season. Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant DH’d in two games apiece, while Ben Zobrist did it once.
Hoop dreams
Cubs players wore basketball jerseys on the team flight to Houston.
Albert Almora Jr. wore a Dwyane Wade jersey from the Heat, while Jason Heyward sported Michael Jordan’s No. 45 from the Bulls. Darvish chose Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavericks jersey, while Quintana picked Klay Thompson of the Warriors and Jon Lester wore an old Magic jersey with Penny Hardaway’s No. 1.
Maddon selected a Pete Maravich jersey from the 1970s Atlanta Hawks.
“If you’ve ever watched any old videos of him ballhandling, it’s purely incredible stuff,” Maddon said.
