On paper, this is a very bad matchup for the Cubs. Jake Arrieta and John Lackey have been inconsistent at best and have looked downright bad at times this season. And when you’ve got an offense that appears to be gathering steam, facing a team with the best run differential (+64) in all of baseball isn’t a great way to keep the train rolling.
The Dodgers aren’t exactly an offensive juggernaut, which means they’re relying on the strength of a staff that leads MLB in ERA (3.37) and FIP (3.27). Those numbers are bolstered by a pair of lefties in Alex Wood and Clayton Kershaw who sit in the top six in ERA for starters with at least 20 innings pitched.