WHAT TO KNOW AHEAD OF CUBS, GIANTS GAMES THIS WEEK
The Arizona Diamondbacks open this week with three games at Chase Field against the Cubs to finish a six-game homestand. The first two games are set for 6:40 p.m. before a 12:40 p.m. matinee for the series finale on Wednesday.
The Diamondbacks had plenty of success against Chicago last season, winning three of four at Wrigley Field and sweeping a threegame set in Phoenix — both in September. The 6-1 record was Arizona’s best ever performance against the Cubs and it came at a crucial time. The two series helped propel the Diamondbacks to the third and final wild card spot, as they finished the season just one game ahead of Chicago.
Merrill Kelly is set to open the series on the mound for the Diamondbacks on Monday night. Behind him, Tommy Henry and Brandon Pfaadt will take the ball in games two and three, respectively.
Monday night’s game falls on Major League Baseball’s annual celebration of Jackie Robinson Day, with all players wearing nameless uniforms with Robinson’s number 42. Tuesday night is Bark at the Park, in which fans can bring their dogs with special tickets. There will be a pregame parade, with fans walking their dogs on the warning track.
Last season, pitching coach Brent Strom was particularly fond of the event, standing near the warning track and greeting each dog that walked past.
After the Cubs series, Arizona heads to San Francisco, opening an 11-day, 10-game road trip with a four-game weekend set against the Giants.
The first two games are at 6:45 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., respectively, before a pair of 1:05 p.m. starts on Saturday and Sunday. Last year, the Diamondbacks finished 7-6 against San Francisco as the Giants finished fourth in the NL West — their worst finish since 2018.
For Arizona, the most notable part of the Giants series comes on Friday, when left-hander Jordan Montgomery is set to make his debut. Montgomery signed a one-year, $25 million deal the day after Opening Day and has made two starts for Triple-A Reno to build up his workload.
Montgomery has a 3.48 ERA in 94 starts over the past three seasons, and was expected by many onlookers to sign a contract in excess of $100 million this off-season. Instead, in a slow market, he remained unsigned until coming to an agreement with the Diamondbacks on the eve of the season. Last year, Montgomery helped lead the Rangers to their first-ever World Series title, although he struggled in Game 2 as the Diamondbacks claimed their only win over the series.