Chicago Cubs Cy Young Candidate Highlights Probables vs. Diamondbacks

The Chicago Cubs have set their pitching probables for their series with the Arizona Diamondbacks that starts on Thursday at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs will open the series with the Diamondbacks on Thursday at 6:40 p.m. central. The remaining three games are set for 1:20 p.m.

Javier Assad (3-2, 2.69) is expected to start Thursday’s opener. The former reliever has been a tremendous asset to the Cubs since he joined the rotation and will make his eighth start this season when he faces the Diamondbacks.

He took a no-decision in his last start against Cincinnati on Saturday, but he went eight innings and allowed no earned runs on seven hits. He struck out seven and walked one. In his last seven starts he is 2-0 with a 1.77 ERA, a stretch that includes six starts. He has struck out 31 and walked 13 in 40.2 innings.

The Diamondbacks are expected to start Ryne Nelson (6-7, 5.47). He last started against San Diego on Aug. 11, giving up seven hits and six earned runs in three innings, with two strikeouts and one walk. He is 1-3 with a 7.60 ERA in his last seven starts.

Jameson Taillon (7-9, 5.73) is expected to start Friday for the Cubs, and admittedly he has struggled of late. He is coming off a start on Sunday against Cincinnati in which he gave up seven hits and five earned runs in 5.2 innings. He struck out seven and walked none. He is 2-3 with a 6.34 ERA in his last seven starts, with 36 strikeouts and five walks in 38.1 innings. But he’s given up 27 earned runs in that span.

Zac Gallen (14-7, 3.48) is expected to start for the Diamondbacks on Friday. In his last start against Baltimore on Sunday he took the loss, going just 5.1 innings and allowing eight hits and five earned runs. He walked one and struck out four. It was his second straight loss. But, in his last seven starts he is 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA with 43 strikeouts and 10 walks in 42 innings.

Justin Steele (16-3, 2.55) continues his Cy Young-worthy season with a start on Saturday against the Diamondbacks. He’s coming off a stellar last start against San Francisco on Monday, as he claimed the victory with eight shutout innings. He allowed two hits and two walks. He also struck out 12. Going back to his last 15 starts, he is 10-1 with a 2.38 ERA with 96 strikeouts and 17 walks in 87 innings. He’s only allowed 23 earned runs in that span.

Merrill Kelly (11-6, 3.22) draws the start for the Diamondbacks against Steele and the Cubs. He’s coming off a solid showing against Colorado on Monday, as he threw seven innings of four-hit baseball and allowed just one earned run. He also struck out 12 and walked just one. He has slightly more strikeouts than Steele in his last 15 starts, with 100 strikeouts against 30 walks in 91 innings. He is 6-3 with a 3.36 ERA in that span.

Kyle Hendricks (5-7, 3.73) is expected to start the Cubs’ finale on Sunday. He picked up a no-decision in his last start against San Francisco on Tuesday, as he went 5.1 innings and allowed seven hits and four earned runs. He struck out five and walked none. He is 1-2 with a 4.46 ERA in his last seven starts, with 31 strikeouts and eight walks in 38.1 innings. He’s allowed only 19 earned runs in that span. He’s also only given up 14 walks in his last 15 starts.

Rookie Brandon Pfaadt (108, 6.27) is expected to start for the Diamondbacks on Sunday. He lost his second straight start on Tuesday when he gave up six hits and three earned runs in 3.2 innings against Colorado. He struck out four and walked two. He is 1-4 with a 4.34 ERA in his last seven starts, with 38 strikeouts and 13 walks in 37.1 innings.

After the Cubs wrap up their series with the Diamondbacks, they head west for a six-game road trip that takes them to Colorado (Monday-Wednesday) and to Arizona (Friday-Sunday).