NEWSLETTER
It’s Shark Week, and the Shark is starting tonight for the Cubs. Against the Astros. There’s no way this doesn’t go well.
Josh Vitters indeed gets a start against a righty, as Dale Sveum suggested he would – and he bats second. Interesting. I think it’s fair to wonder whether Sveum hopes that will get Vitters more fastballs, as Sveum believes Vitters to be an excellent fastball hitter. Damning with faint praise? We’ll see.
On the other side at third, we’ll get a look at former Cubs farmhand Marwin Gonzalez, whom the Astros plucked from the Cubs – by way of the Red Sox – in the Rule 5 Draft.
Game Info
Houston Astros (38-78) at Chicago Cubs (44-69), 7:05pm CT on CSN+.
Game Thread and Series Preview
The Game Thread lives here. You should participate in the madness. And, of course, for those who aren’t into message board-style game threads, please feel free to use the comments on this post for your in-game commentary/outbursts.
The Series Preview for this series lives here.
Starting Pitchers
Armando Galarraga (0-2, 4.70 ERA, 6.94 FIP)
versus
Jeff Samardzija (7-10, 4.21 ERA, 3.56 FIP)
Houston Astros Lineup
1. Tyler Greene, SS
2. Jose Altuve, 2B
3. Brett Wallace, 1B
4. Steve Pearce, RF
5. Justin Maxwell, CF
6. Jason Castro, C
7. Marwin Gonzalez, 3B
8. Fernando Martinez, LF
9. Armando Galarraga, P
Chicago Cubs Lineup
1. David DeJesus, RF
2. Josh Vitters, 3B
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
4. Alfonso Soriano, LF
5. Starlin Castro, SS
6. Welington Castillo, C
7. Brett Jackson, CF
8. Darwin Barney, 2B
9. Jeff Samardzija, P
