Cubs vs Dodgers – Lineups, Pitching Matchups, How to Watch, Game Thread

April 15, 2023, by Michael Cerami Chicago Cubs

Later tonight, the Chicago Cubs (7-5) will try for their third consecutive series win, while looking to break free of the gravitational pull of being just two-games over .500. After all, they haven’t been THREE games over .500 since June 30 … of 2021! Here’s a look at the Cubs lineup that will try to break the streak.

Chicago Cubs Lineup:

Nico Hoerner, 2B
Dansby Swanson, SS
Ian Happ, LF
Seiya Suzuki, RF
Cody Bellinger, CF
Trey Mancini, 1B
Eric Hosmer, DH
Patrick Wisdom, 3B
Tucker Barnhart, C

The Cubs lineup is finally becoming fairly predictable. And that’s a good thing. With the exception of very specific matchup issues (for one example: up-in-the-zone, right-handed heat might take Patrick Wisdom out of the Cubs lineup on any given day) or rest days, this is the lineup. The stability, with Seiya Suzuki back in there, is finally here.

Well, I guess that is until Cody Bellinger hits the paternity list. But then we’ll get Nelson Velázquez, so that’s good too!

And one thing I like about this particular group – other than the promise they’ve shown as a collective unit – is the lefty/righty balance. From top to bottom, we go: righty, righty, switch, righty, lefty, righty, lefty, righty, lefty. Just seems right. Balanced. As all things should be. I think I’m starting to understand Thanos.

One thing I don’t love about this group is Eric Hosmer at DH instead of Mancini. Hosmer seems to be the superior defender at first, so if they’re both going to be in there … maybe just give the job to Hosmer? The counter to that, however, is that when Hosmer’s time is done and Matt Mervis is here, you’re still going to want to be able to spell Mervis at first, so keeping Mancini fresh at the position probably has some value.

Oh, hey look: Jason Heyward is starting against the Cubs tonight.

Los Angeles Dodgers Lineup:

Mookie Betts, RF
Freddie Freeman, 1B
Max Muncy, 3B
J.D. Martinez, DH
James Outman, LF
Miguel Vargas, 2B
Jason Heyward, CF
Miguel Rojas, SS
Austin Barnes, C

Pitching Matchup:

Los Angeles Dodgers: Michael Grove, RHP

Michael Grove has had one tough start to the season, allowing 12 earned runs over his first 7.1 IP. Under the hood, it doesn’t look quite as bad as it seems (8Ks, 3BB, .519 BABIP, 29.4% strand rate, just one barrel, not a ton of hard contact). In fact, after looking at that, I’d say he’s probably pitching just fine and has just been incredibly unlucky. Actually, yeah, now that I look it up, Statcast has his expected ERA at 3.23 compared to his actual ERA of 14.73. No one in the Cubs line has any experience against Grove, so this’ll be a brand new matchup.

With that said, lefties have hit Grove a lot better than righties so far in his career. Like, a lot better.

Notable Matchups: N/A

Chicago Cubs: Jameson Taillon, LHP

Jameson Taillon had a tough first start of the season against the Brewers on Opening Weekend (4.0 IP, 7H, 3ER, BB, 2K), but he bounced back against the Rangers in start, even if the results don’t quite look all that great on the surface: 5.0 IP, 6H, 4ER, BB, 7K. Here’s what Brett had to say immediately after that one:

It’ll get lumped in with his first meh start with the Cubs, but Jameson Taillon was actually much better this time out. If the defense hadn’t made mistakes behind him – cannot happen! – he goes six+ and allows just a run or two. Taillon struck out seven and walked just one, gave up mostly crummy contact, and filled up the strike zone. That was actually more or less what you’d expect from a Taillon start as your mid-rotation guy. You hope for more on the run side, of course, but that’s the baseline.

Notable Matchups: