Today’s series-ending lineup is out, and Joe Maddon’s giving Dexter Fowler a day off, and shifting everyone else around accordingly:
- Ben Zobrist, 2B
- Jason Heyward, CF
- Kris Bryant, RF
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Jorge Soler, LF
- Tommy La Stella, 3B
- Miguel Montero, C
- Addison Russell, SS
- Jake Arrieta, P
Even sans Kyle Schwarber and (for now) Javier Baez, the Cubs still have the versatility to be able to do this kind of thing. I like it. Give the regulars a day off every now and again, and the lineup still doesn’t look much worse for it.
Jason Heyward gets a start in center, bookended by Jorge Soler and Kris Bryant, but not in the order you might thing. Although right field was always Soler’s home, the Cubs are apparently committed to getting him up to speed in left, which means Bryant heads out to right. Even if there’s a very small potential hit to the defense right now (and even that’s debatable, since it’s not like Soler was fantastic in right field either right now), it’s probably the better longer-term move.
Full Pre-Gamin’ coming later for the 3:10pm CT start.