Fangraphs has the Cubs as an extremely thin favorite to win Game 5 (based on their playoff odds metrics) 50.5% - 49.5%.
They also do not respect either the Cubs or Brewers against the Dodgers, as LA has a 70.2% chance of winning the NLCS according to them and a staggering 44.8% chance of winning another title.
He just crossed the threshold for most innings pitched in a season for him. I think giving him as much rest as possible is better, plus he’s simply better at Wrigley. Taillon has been pitching great and Horton hopefully is still pitching somewhere near the level he was at in September. I think those are the guys I want going not just in game 1 and 2 but games 5 and 6
Are we all in agreement that we go with a pen game on Saturday? Shota should not pitch in the game. Save him for a game 3 against the Dodgers.
getting WAY ahead of myself but Taillon, Horton, Boyd, Shota is good setup in a potential NLCS
Hell definitely go another with the bottom of the order due up. Just don’t know if he’ll pitch into the 6th with the top of the order due up for the 3rd time (if he retires the Brewers in order in the 5th)
Will happily say that I was completely against starting Boyd in game 1 and completely for him starting tonight.
Also I would avoid Shota like the plague in Game 5 if we get there.
With Boyd pitching so well do continue to pitch him if he gets through 7-9 next inning (aka a 3rd time through the order), or not mess with it and go to the pen?
52 pitches through 2 for Peralta but Im not sure it’s a good thing necessarily for the pen to be in especially with an off day tomorrow (if the Cubs win) so no one would be down if the pen has to throw extended innings