Chicago Cubs Game 1 Lineup: Willson Contreras is Back Behind the Plate!

Whew! We were told to expect Willson Contreras back behind the plate for at least one of these games today, but I’m still relieved to see it (remember, he was removed from the game a couple nights ago after being hit by a pitch). Here’s the rest of the Cubs lineup for Game 1 against the Cardinals at Wrigley Field (remember, it’s a double-header today, with Game 2 at 6:15 CT).

Chicago Cubs Lineup:

1. Christopher Morel, CF
2. Willson Contreras, C
3. Ian Happ, LF
4. Frank Schwindel, 1B
5. Patrick Wisdom, 3B
6. Nico Hoerner, SS
7. Rafael Ortega, RF
8. Clint Frazier, DH
9. Nick Madrigal, 2B

With Nick Madrigal back in the fold, regular starts at second base are likely going to dry up for Christopher Morel, but that’s okay because he’s basically the everyday center fielder and leadoff man at this point. I don’t see that ending anytime soon.

This afternoon, he’s flanked by Ian Happ in left field and Rafael Ortega in right, but that won’t squeeze Clint Frazier out this time, because he’s getting the nod at DH, effectively above Alfonso Rivas who’s taken a few of those opportunities away from by way of first base/pushing Schwindel to DH.

Overall, this is a MUCH better looking lineup than yesterday afternoon, and I’m looking forward to a day full of Cubs baseball!

written by

Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

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