With home runs flying, John Lackey on pace to make the wrong kind of history

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While everybody has been talking about the Cubs' offense and doling out daily lineup takes, John Lackey has been giving up home runs at an alarming rate.

Lackey surrendered three homers to the New York Mets Monday night, giving him 19 longballs allowed on the season in 13 starts (75.1 innings).

Two of those bombs came off the bat of Asdrubal Cabrera, who just went on the disabled list Tuesday afternoon with a thumb injury:

Lackey admitted he didn't feel great Monday night:

"I'm giving up a bunch of homers, yeah," Lackey said. "I need to do a better job of keeping the ball in the yard, for sure."

Lackey has allowed 11 dingers in his last six starts and is on pace to give up 49 homers this season in 33 starts (193.1 innings).

The single-season baseball record for homers allowed is 50 by Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven in 1986.

Of course, pace means very little when you consider more than half the season remains and Lackey only surrendered 23 homers in 188.1 innings last season, his first in a Cubs uniform.

His career high — or low, depending on how you look at it — in longballs allowed is 31 coming with the Anaheim Angels in 2003 when he was in his second year in the majors.

Lackey — who is 4-7 with a 5.26 ERA — can also take solace in the fact he doesn't even lead the majors in homers given up, as Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo has given up 22 bombs in 68 innings.

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