The Cubs are finally hot again, and they seem to think they can keep it up.
But this is ridiculous.
The forecast for Chicago when the Cubs play the Padres the next two days calls for 99-degree highs both afternoons with enough clouds and storm activity Saturday to suggest oppressive humidity.
“Last year against Minnesota it was kind of toasty,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “What you do is the trainers are just pumping fluids, pumping fluids, pumping fluids. And you’ve got to be a little more patient with guys on the field how they’re moving.”
During a June 29-July 1, weekend series of day games against the Twins last year, game-time temperatures ranged from 91 to 96 degrees. During the middle game of the series, Cubs center fielder Albert Almora Jr. and three Twins all left the game at various points for heat-related reasons.
“You’ve got to hydrate,” Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward said. “We’ve got to be prepared for it. But whoever we play is going to have to do the same thing.”
Assuming they survive the heat of the weekend in good shape – with the help of an off day ahead of it and two more coming in the next week – the Cubs could be especially well equipped to put the heat on the rest of the National League Central down the stretch.
After stumbling into the All-Star break with a half-game lead in the division and a record only four games over .500, the Cubs have surged out of the break 5-1 against the Pirates and Reds.
Most encouraging about that was news involving the starting rotation, which spun quality starts in all six games.
That included former ERA champ Kyle Hendricks’ six innings in his third start back from a sore shoulder and Yu Darvish’s first two scoreless starts in two seasons as a Cub to bookend that stretch.
If Cole Hamels returns from an oblique injury in two weeks as expected – and returns to anything close to his June form (1.22 ERA) – the Cubs’ rotation will be back to full strength for the first time since mid-June.
And the Cubs have in their back pocket the encouraging start Tuesday by Alec Mills – called up from Class AAA to fill in for Hamels. That could loom especially important after touted prospect Adbert Alzolay left his minor-league start Wednesday because of biceps “soreness.”
“We have a lot of good, talented guys,” Darvish said. “We can do it for sure. … It’s good to see.”
So far, it’s a continuation of a fifth-year trend of second-half play for the Cubs.
Their quick start from the break this time makes them 194-104 (.651) after the All-Star break in four-plus seasons under Maddon – by far the best mark in the majors.
“How many games was it? Six games?” first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. “It’s a great start to the second half for us, and we’ve got to keep it up. It’s up to us players to keep it up and keep rolling.”
They’ll know a lot more about their ability to keep things rolling during a nine-game road trip that starts Monday in San Francisco and finishes in St. Louis – considering they have one of the worst road records in the majors (18-27) and haven’t won a series on the road in two months.
Until then, the heat is on against the Padres, literally.
“You pay attention, you watch them,” Maddon said of the serious precautions with the extreme heat. “I’ve been around some guys that it went the other way on them. It’s a tough moment.”
The Cubs managed well enough in that “toasty” Twins series last year to sweep the series.
