MIAMI — Chicago Cubs right-hander John Lackey, who turns 39 in October, will be the first to admit he doesn’t throw as hard as he did a few years ago.
“But if you can locate, it doesn’t matter,” Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer told the media Sunday after Lackey beat his team 7-1. “(Lackey’s) fastball was really good. If you locate consistently and make guys expand the zone a little bit, that always works.”
Lackey (5-7, 4.98 ERA) will try that plan again Friday when the Cubs (37-35) play the Miami Marlins (32-39) in the second contest of a four-game series at Marlins Park.