Cubs face NL Central-heavy schedule in coming weeks, starting with the Cardinals
ST. LOUIS — Over the course of 17 days, the Cubs are scheduled to play three games against the Cardinals, four against the Brewers and seven against the Reds.
The block of National League Central opponents is only interrupted by a pair of games against the White Sox, in between the two series against Cincinnati.
“We didn’t play a lot in the first month, so you knew it was coming,” manager Craig Counsell said Friday. “So just part of the schedule. I mean, the old schedule certainly had stretches like this where you spend a lot of time in your division.”
The new balanced format, in which every team plays the other 29 teams in the regular season, pits division opponents against each other less often. But a stretch like this could shake up the division standings.
Going into the Cubs-Cardinals game Friday — which was rained out — the Brewers (28-21) led the NL Central, followed by the Cubs (27-24). The Cardinals (23-26) and Pirates (23-28) were neck and neck. And the Reds (20-30) brought up the rear.
“The schedule always has something in it that feels odd, for sure,” Counsell said. “I mean, I look at the schedule in September, I don’t think we play in the division that much. That looked odd to me.”
Division matchups in September can have big playoff implications. But this year, the Cubs are set to play just six games against NL Central opponents, three against the -Pirates on Sept. 2-4 and three against the Reds to wrap up the regular season.
Smyly on verge of return
Bullpen reinforcements are coming. Lefty Drew Smyly (right hip impingement) is with the team in St. Louis and likely will be activated this weekend, Counsell said.
The Cubs were considering this week whether to give Smyly a second rehab outing before activating him. He tossed three scoreless innings for High-A South Bend on Tuesday. The Cubs decided that was enough to get him ready to return to major-league action.
Smyly has been sidelined for a little over a month. Before landing on the injured list, he was used as a multi-inning and leverage option out of the bullpen. Counsell said he definitely plans to continue to use Smyly’s ability to throw multiple innings to the team’s advantage. The Cubs will wait until Smyly can be available out of the bullpen, needing rest after his last outing, to activate him.
Other injury news
Cubs lefty Jordan Wicks (strained left forearm) began a rehab assignment Friday. Starting for Triple-A Iowa, he threw two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and recording three strikeouts.
Relievers Yency Almonte (strained right shoulder) and Colten Brewer (strained lower back) were set to play catch in St. Louis.