The Cubs are back at Wrigley Field tonight, with Alec Mills on the mound against the Minnesota Twins. Mills missed the Twins the last time these two teams squared off, so there’s not much history here, but I can point out that the Twins are actually the 10th best offense against right-handed pitching this season (101 wRC+), with the 5th highest HR/FB ratio in MLB.
Fortunately, Mills has been among the best starters in MLB at keeping the ball on the ground since joining the rotation in mid-June: 50.4%, 10th in MLB. That should help with the long balls.
Zooming out, regardless of how you feel about tanking – especially against division rivals still trying to make the playoffs (like St. Louis) – there’s little reason not to be OK with a Cubs loss tonight and tomorrow. The Twins are right ahead the Cubs in the reverse standings, and if Chicago wins both games, there’s no chance they’re passing the Twins before the end of the year.
Remember, it’s about more than just draft position (though let’s not minimize the importance of picking as high as possible). It’s also about the size of the bonus pool you’re able to use throughout the rest of the draft. For a team like the Cubs, who aren’t awarded compensatory picks for the size of their market, every little bit helps.
Game Info
Minnesota Twins (65-85) at Chicago Cubs (67-83) – Tuesday, September 21sr at 6:40 CT on MARQ, 670 The Score
Starting Pitchers
Twins: Griffin Jax (R)
versus
Cubs: Alec Mills (R)
Chicago Cubs (Lineup Discussion):
1. Rafael Ortega, CF
2. Frank Schwindel, 1B
3. Ian Happ, LF
4. Willson Contreras, 3B
5. Patrick Wisdom, 3B
6. Matt Duffy, 2B
7. Trayce Thompson, RF
8. Nico Hoerner, SS
9. Alec Mills, P
Minnesota Twins:
1. Luis Arraez, 2B
2. Byron Buxton, CF
3. Jorge Polan co, SS
4. Josh Donaldson, 3B
5. Max Kepler, RF
6. Miguel Sano, 1B
7. Nick Gordon, LF
8. Mitch Garver, C
9. Griffin Jax, P