I’m not usually one to question Joe Maddon, but I have to admit to being totally baffled when he headed to the mound to pull Jason Hammel from the game just one out into the 3rd inning. The starter had only thrown enough pitches to match his jersey number and had given up 3 runs on 5 hits, the last three of which were singles that just happened to find holes. What’s more, the Cubs are holding a 14-game division lead and don’t figure to have any must-win games coming for more than a month.
The only thing I can figure is that Hammel is kind of a when-it-rains-it-pours guy (he’s given up 10 runs in 4 or fewer innings twice this season, including his most recent start) and Maddon saw the storm clouds brewing when the Dodgers opened the 3rd going double, single, single, FC (with a wild pitch in the at-bat), single.