Cubs home opener re-scheduled due to snow

The Friendly Confines weren't quite so friendly on Monday, with the Cubs forced to postpone their home opener by a day, due to snowy conditions.

"Well, on the way out, I had no idea if I was going to the Cub convention or opening day", he said.

The Cubs have pitched well overall, and their team ERA of 2.59 is second in the National League to the New York Mets' mark of 2.40. "It's just we have to get the field clear - obviously you don't want anyone to slip and fall".

20-8 in their last 28 games in the first game of a series. "Three shutouts in a seven-game homestand, that is probably the surprising thing for me".

But the next signs that there would be no baseball came when a group of Cubs players, led by relief pitcher Carl Edwards Jr., started throwing snowballs instead of baseballs. The 25-year old second baseman is only hitting.154 on the season with zero homers, however he has driven in four runs.

"Whatever he's going to have tonight dinner dinner-wise is going to taste better, sleep is going to be much more tranquil and if he had a dog with him on the road he's going to love his puppy even more", Maddon said. "Discomfort kind of grew, and as a precaution, to make sure it wasn't worse, we kind of toned it back a little bit".

Manager Craig Counsell said Yelich reported soreness after hitting over the weekend. The 26-year old right-fielder had a very quiet 2017 season, hitting only 11 homers with 35 RBI's in 108 games.

On Saturday, J.J. Hoover's contract was selected from Class AAA and starter Brandon Woodruff was optioned to Colorado Springs.

Pirates right-hander Ivan Nova is expected to move back one day to start the series opener, and Maddon said Tyler Chatwood would go for the Cubs. Quintana absorbed a 6-0 loss at Miami in his first start where he was charged with all six runs in six innings of work.

Brewers: Jhoulys Chacin (0-1) takes the hill when the team opens a six-game road trip at St. Louis.