Cubs vs Marlins: Lineups, Pitching Matchup, How to Watch, Game Thread

April 30, 2023, by Michael Cerami Chicago Cubs

The best part about baseball is there’s always another game just around the corner. And this one is so early (11:05am CT start!), you barely have time to stay upset about yesterday’s loss. Let’s just win this one and head to Washington to rattle off a five-game winning streak before returning to Wrigley Field in higher spirits. And hopefully with Matt Mervis and Chris Morel in tow. Here’s a look at the Cubs lineup for Game 3 in Miami.

Chicago Cubs Lineup:

Nico Hoerner, 2B
Dansby Swanson, SS
Ian Happ, LF
Seiya Suzuki, RF
Cody Bellinger, CF
Patrick Wisdom, 3B
Eric Hosmer, 1B
Edwin Rios, DH
Yan Gomes, C

I get that David Ross is trying to sneak as many lefties into today’s Cubs lineup as possible, but it’s just hard to get excited about a lineup that has Eric Hosmer and Edwin Rios (who’s barely been used) and does not have Nelson Velázquez. He’s here, he’s hot, just use him. Lefty/righty splits are great and useful, but sometimes you just have to go with the better overall hitter. Maybe most of the time. Anyway, here we are. Another day with a Cubs lineup that’s less good than it can be.

Miami Marlins Lineup:

Jon Berti, SS
Garrett Cooper, 1B
Luis Arraez, 2B
Jorge Soler, DH
Jean Segura, 3B
Jazz Chisholm Jr., CF
Nick Fortes, C
Bryan De La Cruz, LF
Garrett Hampson, RF

Pitching Matchup:

Chicago Cubs: Justin Steele, LHP

Once again, the Cubs are calling on Justin Steele to play stopper. And once again I have confidence he’ll come through. His last start may have been the first to fall short of the 6.0 innings necessary to qualify for a quality start, but it was still a fantastic performance against one of the best lineups in baseball (SDP): 5.1 IP, 3H, 0ER, 2BB, 5Ks. Steele has been on fire all season (1.19 ERA over 30.1 IP), and is one of the best contact managers in baseball. Note, however, that the Marlins have been one of the better offenses against left-handed pitching this season (114 wRC+).

Miami Marlins: Bryan Hoeing, RHP

Are the Marlins made exclusively of 26-year-old starting pitchers. I can’t say I know too much about this former seventh-round pick, Bryan Hoeing. But looking him up, it seems he initially debuted last season as a multi-inning reliever, and is now filling in for a beat-up Marlins rotation. Hoeing’s first start of the season came against the Braves and it was short and eventful: 3.2 IP, 6H, 4ER, 2BB, 2K. Let’s hope the Cubs lineup can replicate.