Field Level Media
29 Mar 2023, 18:19 GMT+10
The Milwaukee Brewers hope to leave behind a disappointing 2022 finish and return to the postseason.
The Chicago Cubs, meanwhile, added some established contributors to their young talent, sparking optimism for 2023.
The quest for both begins Thursday, when Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes aims toput his personal issues with the Brewers aside while facing the Cubs in Chicago.
On Aug. 1, the Brewers led the NL Central by three games when traded star closer Josh Hader. They then went 29-31 to finish 86-76 and miss the postseason for the first time since 2017.
"Each year is its own year," star Christian Yelich, who hit a combined .243 the past three seasons, told the Brewers' official website. "We have a great opportunity in front of us, and we'll see what we can do with it."
There certainly is reason to believe Milwaukee can return to prominence. Shortstop Willy Adames wants more after setting career highs for homers (31) and RBIs (98) last season, while Rowdy Tellez also recorded personal bests with 35 home runs and 89 RBIs. In addition, All-Star catcher William Contreras (20 homers in 97 games last year) was a major acquisition from the Atlanta Braves.
Milwaukee also boasts one of the majors' best rotations after opponents hit .229 last year, the third-lowest figure in the National League.
Following his Cy Young Award-winning 2021 season, Burnes went 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA last year while setting career highs in starts (33), innings (202) and strikeouts (NL-best 243). However, after losing his arbitration case, Burnes admitted he harbors hard feelings toward the Brewers, although he won't carry that over to his pitching.
"When I'm out on the field, I'm going to do what I do. That hasn't changed," the right-hander said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Despite going 0-1 in three starts versus the Cubs in 2022, Burnes posted a 2.37 ERA in those games.
Chicago finished 74-88 last year, its second straight losing campaign. However, the Cubs went 10-9 against Milwaukee, including 6-4 at home.
Star catcher Willson Conteras joined the rival St. Louis Cardinals, but 28-year-old All-Star outfielder Ian Happ returns after setting career bests in RBIs (72), doubles (42) and batting (.271) while also winning his first Gold Glove. Meanwhile, 25-year-old second baseman Nico Hoerner posted 10 homers and 55 RBIs.
He will make up half of Chicago's middle infield with Gold Glove shortstop Dansby Swanson, who signed a seven-year, $177 million deal. Meanwhile, 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger looks for a revival after batting a combined .203 for the Los Angeles Dodgers over the past three seasons.
Veteran newcomers Eric Hosmer, Trey Mancini, Tucker Barnhart, Jameson Taillon, Brad Boxberger and Michael Fulmer will all try to help Chicago contend for a postseason spot. However, second-year outfielder Seiya Suzuki (14 homers, .262 average in 2022) is expected to open on the injured list with a strained oblique.
"Whether the hardware is here, the championship things are here, the Gold Gloves, winning players all around. We still have to go out and prove it in 2023," Cubs manager David Ross said, according to MLB.com.
Chicago's Marcus Stroman takes the ball after going 6-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 25 starts last season. The right-hander allowed two runs over 20 innings to win his final three home starts.
Stroman was 1-0 with a 1.37 ERA in three starts vs. Milwaukee last season.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Chicago Chronicle news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Chicago Chronicle.
More InformationPYONGYANG, North Korea: North Korea attempt failed to launch a satellite on May 31, which prompted raid sirens and a ...
HONG KONG, China: Describing the lack of women in China's top leadership as concerning, the United Nations has recommended the ...
BEIJING, China: Amid its rivalry with the US for reaching new milestones in space, reflecting their competition for global influence, ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) report released this week revealed that over the Memorial Day weekend, the start ...
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia's maritime agency has said that it found a cannon shell believed to be from World War ...
KATHMANDU, Nepal - For the past three days, agitated students and guardians have been protesting against the school administration at ...
GOWER, Missouri: Hundreds of people flocked to the small town of Gower, Missouri, to see a mummified nun, Sister Wilhelmina ...
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky: Two horses that succumbed to their injuries at Churchill Downs have become the 11th and 12th fatalities over ...
DETROIT, Michigan: After Ford Motor Co announced an agreement with Tesla to allow autos to be charged using the Tesla ...
Could Saturday night's game be the one that snaps the San Diego Padres out of their season-long doldrums? Padres manager ...
Matthew Boyd's second stint with the Detroit Tigers hasn't gone as smoothly as he envisioned, but he will look to ...
A benevolent official scorer perhaps kept the Los Angeles Angels from adding to their major-league-worst mark of 31 unearned runs ...