The 2016 MLB regular season is underway and the Chicago Cubs are taking on the Cincinnati Reds at 8:05 PM ET on Wednesday April 13th, 2016 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois.
For those who wager at an online sportsbook, A. Simon, who is 0-0, starts for the Reds while J. Lackey, 1-0 in his home debut with Chicago, starts for the Cubs. In 2014, Lackey was traded by Boston to the Cardinals where he had a 3.14 ERA in 47 starts with a record of 18-13, and that included starting in 4 playoff games. His success of the past 2 seasons is what brought him to the Chicago Cubs.
In his first start with the Cubs, Lackey pitched 6 innings giving up 8 hits and 6 runs, but Chicago still managed a 14-6 win over Arizona last Thursday. He struggled in the first 3 innings, but then got on track and had 3 scoreless innings.
Lackey stated that he struggled in the first few innings as he gave the lead back, but then started changing his pitching and found his groove. He said the Cubs offense allowed him some leeway, but he is always seeking to improve his pitching. He has an ERA of 2.75 and a record of 3 wins and 2 losses in his MLB career 9 starts against Cincinnati. Cubs Manager J. Maddon believes that Lackey can succeed on any team. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2012 and not pitching that season, Lackey had his best season to date in 2015 with an ERA in 220 innings of 2.78.
Reds pitcher A. Simon had the worst season of his career with the Tigers. Now back in Cincinnati he’s trying to get back to the success of his 2012-2014 heydays. He opened this season with a 6-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving up 1 earned run and 5 hits in 5 innings. In Simon’s 5 starts against the Cubs he has 3 wins and 0 losses and an ERA of 1.10.
Meanwhile the Cubs at 6-1 are seeking a third series win, as they beat the Reds on Monday 5 to 3. The team was led by A. Russell who hit a homerun in the 8th inning to win the game.
In that Monday night game against the Cubs, Reds starter B. Finnegan was pitching a no-hitter in the 1st 6 2/3 innings, and then the bullpen took over and allowed the Cubs 3 runs on 2 hits and 2 bases on balls, thus the loss is credited to the Reds bullpen.
The Cubs have won their last 4 games against the Reds. Dating back to the 2014 season they have won 17 of 23 over the Reds.