Cubs will start two of MLB's best for London tilt

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele. David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Cubs will start two of MLB's best pitchers for London tilt vs. Cardinals

By Trevor Woods | Last updated 6/21/23

Major League Baseball is headed back to London for the second time this weekend.

The inaugural matchup was in 2019, a two-game series between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. This time it'll be National League Central foes in the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.

The 2019 Yankees vs. Red Sox tilts were offensive explosions with final scores of 17-13 and 12-8. However, this time around the advantage could go to the pitchers, particularly the Cubs two starters.

Justin Steele will start the first game and his ERA of 2.71 is third-best in the NL. Marcus Stroman will get the nod in game No. 2 and he's been one of the best pitchers in the majors in multiple categories.

Stroman ranks first in the majors with 14 quality starts and WAR (4.0). Stroman also ranks first in the NL in ERA (2.28) and wins (9).

#Cubs will start Justin Steele on Saturday and Marcus Stroman on Sunday in London.
— Taylor McGregor (@Taylor_McGregor) June 21, 2023

The rivalry matchup overseas comes at a time when the Cubs are inching towards first place in the division while the Cardinals have continued to falter.

The Cubs are 8-2 in their last ten games and currently 36-38. The Cubbies are just 3.5 games behind the first-place Cincinnati Reds. The Cardinals, who many thought would win the division handily, are 31-44 and nine games out of first.

Stroman and Steele are the Cubs aces, but the Cardinals are sending out there's this weekend as well, they just so happen to be scuffling this year.

Adam Wainwright and Jack Flaherty will start for the Cards, and their ERAs are worse than expected at 5.56 and 4.95. Wainwright's known for postseason heroics, and the setting will be a wild one in London, but it's he and his team who are the ones with their backs against the wall heading into England.

For Cubs manager Davis Ross, he really likes who he has headed to the mound this weekend, Stroman in particular.

“Best pitcher in a division game," Ross said. "It lines up really well."

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