For the first time this season, and the second time since trading him to the Padres after the 2020 season, the Cubs faced Yu Darvish. It was Darvish’s first time facing his former team at Wrigley Field.
“I think swinging at strikes is the key,” Cubs manager David Ross said of facing Darvish. “Getting him in the middle of the plate. And he’s got a lot of different looks, a lot of different sliders. I think we know him pretty well from that standpoint and what the mix looks like.’’