Tonight, the Cubs will try to even the series against the Braves in Atlanta. The ghost of Charlie Morton is taking the mound for the Braves, and here’s how David Ross will counter.
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
1. Rafael Ortega, DH
2. Seiya Suzuki, RF
3. Ian Happ, LF
4. Willson Contreras, C
5. Frank Schwindel, 1B
6. Patrick Wisdom, 3B
7. Jason Heyward, CF
8. Nick Madrigal, 2B
9. Nico Hoerner, SS
Morton, 38, has made three starts of at least 5.0 IP this season, but two of them (his last two) were pretty awful: 10.1 IP, 15H, 9ER, 3 HRs, 6BBs, 9Ks combined. Lefties are doing most of the damage – as they have throughout of his career – but he’ll face just three of them tonight.
Why? Well, because one of the Cubs best left-handed bats (Alfonso Rivas) couldn’t buy a start if they were on sale. And we’re kind of at our wits’ end explaining this one. Over and over, Ross has chosen to start Jason Heyward and Rafael Ortega over Alfonso Rivas, who could and should be starting at first base (with Schwindel moving to DH) or at DH (with Ortega moving to center or to the bench) tonight. There are so many ways to make it work and it just keeps not happening.
I'd love to hear the explanation for how Rivas at first, Schwindel at DH, and *ONE* of Heyward or Ortega in center isn't the obviously better alignment.
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) April 27, 2022
As usual, we’ll have your full Pre-Gamin’ post closer to game time (6:20 CT).