The Cubs are down three games to none in the NLCS after a loss to the Dodgers that sucked the energy right out of the team and the crowd at Wrigley. The stadium was almost silent even when the Dodgers were only up 4-1 in Game 3, and it’s hard to blame the fans or the team for that. Winning is tough, losing is easy, and there’s a reason just one team has ever come back from down 3-0 in a seven-game series.
The Cubs can be eliminated from the NLCS on Wednesday in Chicago
Wednesday’s Say Hey, Baseball looks at the Cubs in a must-win situation, and the Yankees evening up the ALCS.
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Chicago could be the second team, sure: they can put Game 3 behind them and start winning with house money from here on out, because that’s what they’re playing with at this point. Their first chance to turn things around comes on Wednesday night in Game 4, when Jake Arrieta takes the mound opposite Alex Wood.
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This team came back from down 3-1 a year ago in the World Series, and 3-0 isn’t that much different. It’s just doing the same thing, one more time. That’s enough of a difference that, historically, far more teams have come back from down 3-1, but the more optimistic view is also the headspace the Cubs need to be in.
You could see on their faces on Tuesday that they were down, like the series was already lost -- and it probably is. It’s definitely lost if the non-Javier Baez parts of Chicago’s roster are going to mope around when the Dodgers get a lead on Wednesday, however.
At 8 p.m. ET, the Cubs get their last chance at keeping their season alive. If they defeat Kershaw and the Dodgers in Game 4, they get another shot at extending their season on Thursday. Everything starts with Game 4, though, and it can end there, too.
[This article originally said Clayton Kershaw was starting for the Dodgers, as that was the listed starter at MLB.com. That has since changed to Alex Wood.]
- Here’s Grant Brisbee on the history of teams down 3-0, as well as a reminder that it’s really, really difficult to win in MLB.
- Yasiel Puig has been a rookie sensation, a star, a disappointment, a minor leaguer once again, a non-factor, and now it seems like he’s a postseason hero. Here’s a look at how this all came to be.
- There was a very confusing play during Tuesday’s ALCS Game 4, and we broke it down for you, piece by piece.
- The Yankees won that game despite the confusion of that Aaron Judge play, and the ALCS is all tied up at 2-2 with one left to play in New York.
- Speaking of Judge, he absolutely demolished a baseball on Tuesday.
- Yu Darvish had an RBI walk in Game 3. Baseball is so good.
- There’s one mistake Joe Girardi rarely makes, and this postseason has highlighted that.
- New York should consider bringing Todd Frazier back for 2018.
- Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez is finally undergoing knee surgery, and could miss at least six months.
- Someone stole the bat from the Ken Griffey Jr. statue outside Safeco, but it was returned after the thief was apprehended.
- The Rangers are not picking up Mike Napoli’s option for 2018.
- Hunter Pence was not very helpful to the Giants in 2017, but they’re still counting on him in 2018.
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