Game 2 in Cincinnati starts at 5:40 tonight, with Marcus Stroman and the Cubs squaring off against right-hander Tyler Mahle and the Reds. Here’s a look at the Cubs lineup.
UPDATE: Yan Gomes scratched:
Yan Gomes was scratched from tonight’s lineup with left oblique tightness. New lineup behind Stroman:
Morel 2B
Ortega CF
Suzuki RF
Happ LF
Schwindel DH
Wisdom 3B
Rivas 1B
Higgins C
Simmons SS— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) May 24, 2022
Original post remains below.
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
1. Rafael Ortega, CF
2. Frank Schwindel, 1B
3. Seiya Suzuki, RF
4. Ian Happ, LF
5. Yan Gomes, DH
6. Patrick Wisdom, 3B
7. Christopher Morel, 2B
8. P.J. Higgins, C
9. Andrelton Simmons, SS
SP: Marcus Stroman, RHP
I understand wanting to get Christopher Morel’s bat in the lineup by way of second base – so I’m cool with Jonathan Villar sitting tonight, even against a righty – but I’m not sure I understand why you’d move Frank Schwindel up to second, instead of Ian Happ, who’s been hot and always hits in Cincinnati. Or even move Seiya Suzuki up to second, Happ up to third and then hit Schwindel fourth.
Sure, there would be a lot of righties in a row, but … there already is. That’s what happens when you leave one of your switch-hitters on the bench. Ah, well, it doesn’t matter. Happ will have to settle for just 4 home runs tonight instead of five.
As usual, we’ll have your full Pre-Gamin’ post closer to game time (5:40 CT).