There were a lot of negative WPA scores for the Cubs in this game.
Only two Cubs had positive WPA scores in this game, which was pretty much over by the fourth inning.
Fangraphs
Like I said — over by the fourth inning. After Mike Tauchman’s homer in that inning, the Sox had a 99.4 percent chance of winning.
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Michael Busch (.022). 0-for-4, HBP
Hero: Vidal Bruján (.006). 3-for-4
Sidekick: Ryan Brasier/Drew Pomeranz/Matt Shaw (.000). You break the tie. Brasier and Pomeranz both had 1-2-3 innings with two strikeouts, and Shaw doubled and scored in his only at-bat.
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Shōta Imanaga (-.338). 3 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 3 HR
Goat: Ian Happ (-.071). 1-for-2, BB
Kid: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.044). 0-for-3, BB
WPA Play of the Game: Chase Meidroth homered to lead off the bottom of the first (.100).
*Cubs Play of the Game: Reese McGuire’s home run in the seventh (.001).
Cubs Player of the Game:
Dansby Swanson won the poll for Wednesday’s game with 37 percent of the vote over Carson Kelly with 29 percent.
Up next: Cade Horton vs. Aaron Civale in the second game of the three-game set on the South Side.