Kyle Schwarber, Chicago Cubs Ready to Make Deep Playoff Run

The core of this Chicago Cubs team knows what it's like to win playoff games. Even though their World Series title in 2016 is four years old now, they still come into this season's playoffs as a confident team.

The Cubs open the playoffs on Wednesday against the Miami Marlins, and after missing the postseason a year ago, they are hungry to make some noise this year and make another deep playoff run.

“It’s really cool that we’re back here again,” Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber said Tuesday after a workout at Wrigley Field. “Every small detail matters, and you get that excitement, that butterfly feeling, just like you do every time, but I think just a little bit more just because we’re back. We missed it last year.”

The Marlins lost 105 games a year ago and are the most surprising member of this expanded 16-team playoff field. But they still went 31-29 with a lot of young arms and they have earned the respect of the Cubs. They didn't play at all during the regular season.

“It kind of brings you back to [the Cubs of] 2015, and I think they’re just going out there and they’re gonna be excited to play,” Schwarber said. “You know, this is a whole new experience for pretty much all these individuals. “There’s some veteran guys on the team, and they’re going to try to share experiences. But you know, there’s nothing like it when you’re in it.”

The Cubs will start veteran Kyle Hendricks in the opener. He's been there before too, and he's taking nothing for granted.

“When you make it year after year, maybe you grow a little bit accustomed to it,'' Hendricks said. "But I think this group, we really don’t fall into that too much.”

First-year Cubs manager David Ross has two World Series rings, but admits there will still be some butterflies when the games begin. That's baseball, especially in the postseason.

“There’s nerves, for sure,” Ross said. “I was laying in bed last night feeling like today was the day the games were starting. I remember just actually talking to David Bote about that — you know, having to kind of say over and over in your head, ‘The game is not tomorrow. It’s not tomorrow.’ You’re anxious to get started.”

Kyle Schwarber loves being Jon Lester’s left fielder 😂 pic.twitter.com/nFoqC1Nw8h
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 30, 2020

Schwarber is one of only three former Indiana baseball players who are still alive in the MLB playoffs. The Cubs recalled third-catcher Josh Phegley prior to the game and added him to the 28-man roster for the first round. (Note: This story was udpated after the Phegley move.)

Relief pitcher Aaron Slegers is on the Tampa Bay roster. Jonathan Stiever, who started two games for the Chicago White Sox in September, is not on their 28-man postseason roster in the first round.

Schwarber hit just .188 during the regular season, with 11 home runs and 24 RBI. He wasn't the only Cubs star to struggle. Javy Baez (.203), Kris Bryant (.206) and Anthony Rizzo (.222) have all struggled, too.

But the playoffs are a new season. And it starts for the Cubs on Wednesday.

Tuesday's Results

Houston Astros 4, Minnesota Twins 1: The Twins lost their 17th consecutive playoff game, a pro sports record, giving up three unearned runs in the ninth inning to Houston to drop Game 1. Jose Altuve walked with the bases loaded after a Jorge Polanco error to give Houston a 2-1 lead and then Michael Bradley tacked on a two-run single to seal the deal.
Chicago White Sox 4, Oakland A's 1: Chicago starter Lucas Giolito took a perfect game into the seventh inning and the No. 7-seed White Sox hit three home runs to cruise past No. 2-seed Oakland in Game 1. It was a nice bounce-back win for Chicago, which had struggled down the stretch, losing seven of its final eight games. Jose Abreu had a two-run homer, and Adam Engel and Yasmani Grandal had solo shots.
Tampa Bay Rays 3, Toronto Blue Jays 1: Blake Snell pitched no-hit ball through five innings and left in the sixth, allowing just one hit and striking out nine in Tampa Bay's victory. Tampa Bay center fielder Manuel Margot had a two-run homer and Peter Fairbanks got the save, his first of the year. The Rays won despite getting only four hits.
New York Yankees 12, Cleveland Indians 3: Shane Bieber was the best pitcher in baseball all year long, but the Yankees didn't care, roughing him up in the blowout win. Bieber, who was 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA in the regular season, got touched up for seven runs in less than five inning. Gerrit Cole was great for the Yankees, striking out 13 in seven innings of work.

Wednesday's American League Games

Houston Astros at Minnesota Twins, 1 p.m. ET (TV: ESPN2): The sixth-seeded Astros, who staggered into the playoffs, can close out the series on Wednesday. The Twins will go with Jose Berrios on the mound, hoping to win their first playoff game since 2004.
Chicago White Sox at Oakland A's, 3 p.m. ET (TV: ESPN): The White Sox look for the upset in this series, going with Dallas Kuechel on the mound. Chris Bassitt will start for Oakland, the AL West champions.
Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays, 4 p.m. ET (TV: TBS): The top-seeded Rays hope to quickly close out this series, turning to Tyler Glasnow on the mound. He was 5-1 in the regular season, but didn't pitch in any of Tampa Bay's 10 regular-season games against Toronto. The Blue Jays will counter with ace lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu to keep their season alive.
New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians, 7 p.m. ET (TV: ESPN): The Yankees snapped out of their hitting slump in the opener and will turn to Masahiro Tanaka to close out the series. Cleveland counters with Carlos Carrasco.

Wednesday's National League Games

Cincinnati Reds vs. Atlanta Braves, Noon ET (TV: ESPN): In what might be the best pitching matchup of the day, Cincinnati's Trevor Bauer tangles with unbeaten Atlanta starter Max Fried in the series opener. Fried was 7-0 with a 2.25 ERA for the NL East champion Braves, the No. 2 seed in the National League playoffs.
Miami Marlins at Chicago Cubs, 2 p.m. ET (TV: ABC): The Marlins lost 105 games a year ago but made the playoffs this year thanks to some stellar pitching by their young arms. Sandy Alcantara gets the call in the opener, taking on Cubs veteran Kyle Hendricks.
St. Louis Cardinals at San Diego Padres, 5 p.m. ET (TV: ESPN2): The Padres are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2006, and they'll turn to young star Chris Paddack in the opener. The Padres look like the best non-division winner in the playoffs, and they would like to dispatch the Cardinals quickly.
Milwaukee Brewers at Los Angeles Dodgers, 10 p.m. ET (TV: ESPN): The Dodgers were clearly the best team in baseball during the regular season with their 43-17 record, but a short series has to scare them considering their postseason futility since last winning the World Series in 1988. Walker Buehler starts for the Dodgers, and Brent Suter gets the call for Milwaukee.

Thursday's American League Games

Houston Astros at Minnesota Twins, if necessary (TV, times: TBA)
Chicago White Sox at Oakland A's, if necessary (TV, times: TBA)
Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays, if necessary (TV, times: TBA)
New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians, if necessary (TV, times: TBA)

Thursday's National League Games

Cincinnati Reds vs. Atlanta Braves, Game 2 (TV, times: TBA)
Miami Marlins at Chicago Cubs, Game 2 (TV, times: TBA)
St. Louis Cardinals at San Diego Padres, Game 2 (TV, times: TBA)
Milwaukee Brewers at Los Angeles Dodgers, Game 2 (TV, times: TBA)

Friday's National League Games

Cincinnati Reds vs. Atlanta Braves, if necessary (TV, times: TBA)
Miami Marlins at Chicago Cubs, if necessary (TV, times: TBA)
St. Louis Cardinals at San Diego Padres, if necessary (TV, times: TBA)
Milwaukee Brewers at Los Angeles Dodgers, if necessary (TV, times: TBA)

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