MILWAUKEE — Left-hander Drew Pomeranz will start for the Cubs in Saturday night’s winner-take-all Game 5 of the National League Division Series at American Family Field.
Pomeranz, who has thrown five perfect innings this postseason between the NL Wild Card Series and NLDS, has not tossed more than a frame in any of his five appearances.
Time will tell how Chicago sees its path to 27 outs, as manager Craig Counsell called it during Friday’s Zoom. The Cubs have right-handed bulk options in Aaron Civale, Colin Rea and Ben Brown who could follow Pomeranz. Or Chicago could go with a straight bullpen game, as Counsell did say everyone except Game 4 starter Matthew Boyd would be available.
It remains to be seen how southpaw Shota Imanaga, who struggled in the Cubs’ 7-3 loss in Game 2 of the NLDS, figures into the mix. Perhaps the Cubs save him for the NL Championship Series should they advance. If they do so, the NLCS begins on Monday night at Dodger Stadium against the defending World Series champions.
