Padres at Cubs
The Chicago Cubs have won five of six contests since the All-Star break while the San Diego Padres have just one victory in the same six-game stretch. The Cubs aim to continue their strong showing on Friday afternoon as they enter the final leg of a nine-game homestand with the opener of a three-game series versus the Padres.
Kris Bryant reached the 20-homer plateau by going deep for the second straight contest in National League Central-leading Chicago's 5-2 victory over Cincinnati on Wednesday. The 27-year-old, who attended the University of San Diego, is 14-for-33 with four homers, five RBIs and 11 runs scored in his last nine games. While the Cubs own a robust 34-17 mark at Wrigley Field, the Padres began their nine-game road trip by losing two of three to Miami -- including a 4-3 decision on Thursday afternoon. Rookie Fernando Tatis Jr. struggled mightily in the series versus the Marlins, as the 20-year-old committed three errors in the last two games while going 1-for-13 at the plate.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS San Diego, NBCS Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Eric Lauer (5-7, 4.04 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (9-6, 3.74)
Lauer returns from the bereavement list looking to snap a five-game winless stretch, although he has allowed just one earned run in each of his last three outings. The 24-year-old, who last pitched on July 5 during an earthquake, has kept the ball in the park in four straight trips to the mound and seven of his last nine. Lauer's lone meeting with the Cubs didn't go so well, as he was shelled for five runs on as many hits in two innings of a 7-4 setback on July 15, 2018.
Lester improved to 4-1 with a 2.97 ERA in his last five starts on Saturday after permitting three runs in 6 2/3 innings of a 10-4 victory against Pittsburgh. The 35-year-old fanned six batters in that contest to raise his total to 30 strikeouts in his last five outings (30 1/3 innings). Eric Hosmer (6-for-19, homer) has fared well versus Lester, who sports a 3-1 mark with a 3.98 ERA in seven career starts against San Diego.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Diego CF Manuel Margot is 6-for-11 with three runs scored in his last three games.
2. Chicago SS Junior Baez has hit safely in 18 of his last 20 contests.
3. Hosmer has six hits in his last four games and needs two RBIs to reach 700 in his career.