NEWSLETTER
What do you think … Can Patrick Wisdom hit a home run in his fifth straight game tonight? He’s already tied for the league lead, having hit FIVE homers in his last four games. But he’s just so locked in right now. And with another lefty on the mound tonight in Oakland, you gotta like his chances. Here’s a look at the Chicago Cubs lineup against Ken Waldichuk and the Oakland A’s.
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
- Nico Hoerner, 2B
- Dansby Swanson, SS
- Ian Happ, LF
- Seiya Suzuki, RF
- Patrick Wisdom, 3B
- Cody Bellinger, CF
- Yan Gomes, C
- Eric Hosmer, 1B
- Luis Torrens, DH
The Cubs lineup looks a little different today, with Trey Mancini getting the night off after a really rough start to the season, culminating in an 0-5, 3K performance last night. Nick Madrigal also failed to earn another start, after going 1-5 yesterday while running through a stop sign at third base (… and getting thrown out by a mile).
With those two out, Patrick Wisdom takes over third base and moves up in the order. Eric Hosmer enters to play first against a lefty (yuck). And Luis Torrens comes in to be the designated hitter. Let’s see if the Cubs can keep the good times rolling.
Oakland A’s Lineup:
- Esteury Ruiz, CF
- Ryan Noda, 1B
- Aledmys Diaz, DH
- Brent Rooker, LF
- Jace Peterson, 3B
- Tony Kemp, 2B
- Carlos Perez, C
- Conner Capel, RF
- Kevin Smith, SS
Pitching Matchup:
Oakland Athletics: Ken Waldichuk, LHP
Ken Waldichuk is the third lefty starter in a row for the Chicago Cubs lineup. And he’s coming off a solid bounce-back start against the Baltimore Orioles: 6.1 IP, 5H, 3ER, 3BB, 4K. But he really needed that bounce back, because the two games prior were an absolute disaster: 8.2 IP, 14ER (7HRs), 4BB, 7K. Waldichuk has a pretty typical back-end starter repertoir, mixing a 93 MPH fastball with a slider, changeup, and the occasional curveball. None of his pitches rate out particularly well and righties have had a particularly good time with him throughout his young MLB career.
Notable Matchups: Swanson (1-3, HR)
Chicago Cubs: Marcus Stroman, RHP
Marcus Stroman has gotten off to a dream start this season, with three straight outings of 6.0 IP with just a TOTAL of 2 earned runs between them (1.00 ERA). He’s struck out 20 batters, walked just 8, and has generated a league-leading 69% groundball rate. Amazing start. Hopefully, he can keep the streak alive and take some pressure off the Chicago Cubs lineup, who’ve been outhitting their class here lately.
Notable Matchups: Peterson: 1-7, 2K
How to Watch:
Chicago Cubs (9-6) vs Oakland Athletics (3-14) at 8:40 CT on Marquee Sports Network, 670 The Score
