NEWSLETTER
I liked it a lot better when the Cubs won the first game of the series and still had the whole weekend ahead of them. The good old days. Friday. Feels like forever ago. Here’s your Labor Day lineup for the finale.
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
1. Ian Happ, CF
2. Kris Bryant, 3B
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
4. Javy Baez, SS
5. Kyle Schwarber, LF
6. Willson Contreras, DH
7. Victor Caratini, C
8. Cameron Maybin, RF
9. Jason Kipnis, 2B
After DHing yesterday, Kris Bryant moves back to third base today. And with that, David Bote moves back to the bench. Meanwhile, Willson Contreras will be the Cubs DH this afternoon, pushing Victor Caratini behind the plate for Kyle Hendricks.
Jason Heyward, who was sent to the hospital yesterday, is expectedly out today, with Cameron Maybin covering right field in his absence. Heyward has been one of the Cubs best players this season and his absence will be felt.
The Cardinals are starting 22-year-old right-hander Johan Oviedo today, in what will be just his fourth big league start. His first three have all been fine (not terrible, not spectacular), but also relatively short. Notably, he’s allowed a fair bit of hard contact through his first three starts, but has been saved by an unsustainably low BABIP. With shaky command through 3 and a patient, powerful Cubs lineup, this should be a juicy matchup for Chicago, one they MUST take advantage of.
As usual, we’ll have your full Pre-Gamin’ post closer to game time (3:10 CT).
