The Chicago Cubs take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game series, with the first game being a pitching matchup between Justin Steele of the Cubs and Noah Syndergaard of the Dodgers. Syndergaard, who was once a star pitcher for the New York Mets, has been in a decline since the 2019 season when he led the NL in earned runs allowed. Since then, he has undergone Tommy John surgery, missed the entire 2020 season, and has seen a sharp drop in velocity. His fastball now averages just 93.0 mph compared to his peak of 99.6 mph. This makes Syndergaard hittable as he lacks the speed that once made him dominant. The Cubs' Cody Bellinger will also be facing his former team, the Dodgers, for the first time since winning the NL MVP award in 2019. In the previous game, Ian Happ of the Cubs had four hits against the Dodgers. The Cubs have a 7-5 record while the Dodgers are 7-7.