NEWSLETTER
The Cubs are winners of three straight, but they’ve got a tough challenge ahead of them today. Miles Mikolas is on the mound for St. Louis and neither Nico Hoerner nor Willson Contreras are in the lineup.
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
1. Christopher Morel, 2B
2. Rafael Ortega, CF
3. Ian Happ, LF
4. Frank Schwindel, DH
5. Patrick Wisdom, 3B
6. Jason Heyward, RF
7. P.J. Higgins, C
8. Alfonso Rivas, 1B
9. Andrelton Simmons, SS
SP: Marcus Stroman, RHP
I hope Marcus Stroman has it today, because this lineup … oof. Not our best (with all the love to my Cubbies).
At least we get to see more of Christopher Morel leading off, and Frank Schwindel has been swinging a hot bat lately … but still. The Cubs are going after it without Seiya Suzuki, Willson Contreras, Nico Hoerner, and even Yan Gomes. Clint Frazier is also (frustratingly) on the bench in favor of Jason Heyward.
Now, with all that said, I understand sitting Contreras today. He exited the game after being hit by a pitch last night. And although X-Rays were negative, there are two games scheduled tomorrow; he’ll (hopefully) catch one and DH in the other. Sitting today was already the plan and the HBP just solidified it.
As for Hoerner, the same thinking applies. It would be great to see him in there, of course, but the Cubs have been playing a LOT of baseball lately (11 games in 9 days!) and actively keeping him healthy with extra days off against tough righties is just the right thing to do.
As usual, we’ll have your full Pre-gamin’ post closer to game time (1:20 CT).
