The visiting Chicago Cubs seek their first three-game road sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in four years when the two teams conclude their three-game series Sunday.
The series began with Chicago’s 4-2 win in the “Field of Dreams” game in Iowa on Thursday and continued with Chicago’s 7-2 win Saturday, giving Chicago four straight wins over Cincinnati this season.
Right-hander Keegan Thompson (9-5, 3.36 ERA) will take the mound for Chicago. Thompson, who will be making his 16th start of the season, earned his team-leading ninth win of the season on Monday, allowing just one run and five hits over six innings in a 6-3 decision over the Nationals, his fourth quality start of the season.
Thompson will be making his sixth career appearance — and second start — against the Reds. On June 28 in Chicago, Thompson struck out eight and walked none but was tagged for four runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings and took the loss in Cincinnati’s 5-3 win.
The Reds counter with right-hander Justin Dunn (0-1, 5.79), making his second start of the season for Cincinnati.
On Monday in New York against the Mets, Dunn made his Reds and season debut and took the loss in a 5-1 defeat. After missing the first half of the season with a strained right shoulder, his start in New York was his first in the majors since June 17, 2021, for Seattle against Tampa Bay.
Dunn took the spot in the rotation vacated by right-hander Hunter Greene, who went on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain.
Reds second baseman Jonathan India has endured a brutal year of injuries, and it nearly took a nightmarish turn after getting hit by a Drew Smyly pitch on the left shin in the first inning Thursday.
India limped to first base but remained in the game, leaving only after striking out in the second inning and playing in the field in the third.
“I was like, I’m going back out, this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” India said Saturday. “I went up to hit and couldn’t focus. So much pain, I couldn’t land on my front foot. I struck out and was like, ‘This isn’t going well.’ I remember swinging at a pitch and I almost fell.
“I was making a fool out of myself. It was the right decision because I was in so much pain. If I kept walking on it, they said if I played the rest of the game, I could have done a lot of damage.”
After the game, he was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Iowa City and spent the night as doctors were concerned about possible compartment syndrome, a serious blood flow restriction condition. Once that was ruled out, he was released on Friday.
India was held out of Saturday’s game with a large bandage on the injured shin.
“It’s crazy that just for a bruise I had to go through that,” India said. “It was more serious than I thought. I’m glad everyone was there to help me, the trainers, the Cubs’ doctor.”
Cubs right-hander Adbert Alzolay (right elbow tightness) continues to progress in his throwing program in Arizona and is now facing hitters. Alzolay threw two innings of batting practice on Friday without issue.
“I’d love to get him back out here at some point this year,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “If nothing else, to prove that he’s healthy going into the offseason.”
–Field Level Media