Cubs vs Padres: Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

Although you’d normally be happy to leave San Diego with a split (which they have already guaranteed with wins on Friday and Sunday), the Cubs need to play better than normal circumstances if they hope to avoid a sell-off come July. That means winning tonight. Fortunately, the Cubs lineup tends to fare better against left-handed pitching, and that’s what they’ll get tonight with Blake Snell on the mound for the finale in San Diego.

Chicago Cubs Lineup:

  1. Nico Hoerner, 2B
  2. Dansby Swanson, SS
  3. Ian Happ, LF
  4. Seiya Suzuki, RF
  5. Patrick Wisdom, 4B
  6. Yan Gomes, DH
  7. Trey Mancini, 1B
  8. Miguel Amaya, C
  9. Chris Morel, CF

Ah, the Cubs lineup vs lefties … it just goes down easier.

Tonight, David Ross is setting Miguel Amaya up behind the plate, but keeping Yan Gomes’ bat in the lineup by way of DH. That leaves center field as the only place for Chris Morel’s bat, as Mike Tauchman grabs some bench.

Meanwhile, as expected, Matt Mervis continues to ride the bench against all lefties (and even against some righties). In other words, the starts have begun drying up as his struggles persist. Chris Morel was even seen getting some pre-game work at first base, though I’m not sure how prophetic that’ll prove to be.

Win this game, win the series. A tough series. Against a good team, on the road. Let’s get it.

San Diego Padres Lineup:

  1. Rougned Odor, 2B
  2. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
  3. Juan Soto, LF
  4. Manny Machado, 3B
  5. Jake Cronenworth, 1B
  6. Gary Sanchez, C
  7. Matt Carpenter, DH
  8. Ha-Seong Kim, SS
  9. Trent Grisham, CF

Pitching Matchup:

Chicago Cubs: Kyle Hendricks, RHP

Kyle Hendricks has made two starts for the Chicago Cubs since coming off a very lengthy stint on the injured list (dating back to last season). And so far, he’s actually looked pretty good. He only got the desired results in his most recent outing (against the Rays, no less), but he looked pretty similar against the Mets. I don’t think he’s ever going to be the guy he was again, but his location was sharp, his velocity was in a good place, and nobody knows how to make his way through a lineup like Hendricks. If you’re looking for some optimism, the Padres lineup (90 wRC+, 22nd in MLB) is not particularly effective against right-handed pitching this season. Though they have been pretty good against the changeup, in general.

San Diego Padres: Blake Snell, LHP

Other good news? The Cubs lineup performs far better against left-handed pitching than right handed pitching, and Blake Snell is a lefty. He’s also struggling overall this season, with a 4.50 ERA over his first 11 starts. That said, he held the Cubs lineup to just two runs over 5.0 innings when he faced them earlier this year, even though they walked FIVE times. I would say patience is the way to go again, however, as Snell is walking 13.7% of batters faced this year. You just have to come through with a hit once those guys are on base … and that’s been a bit of an issue for the Cubs all year. To put it mildly.

Broadcast Info:

Chicago Cubs (26-32) vs San Diego Padres (27-32) at 8:10 pm CT on MARQ, MLBN, 670 The Score

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

more cubs news

WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

Wrigley Field is Gonna Be Lit This Year (As in New Colored Lights!)

Last year, the Cubs started using their new LED outfield lights to do a little dancing display during 'Go Cubs Go,' lighting along with the song and throwing in a W. It was very fun and I liked it. This...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

Why Craig Counsell Wanted Miles Mastrobuoni on the Cubs’ Bench

I don't know why Miles Mastrobuoni bugs some folks, but it's probably heavily-weighted toward his small-sample, bad-batted-ball-luck start last year, and that time he didn't dive while playing in right field. It can be hard to shake initial impressions, I...

Kinda Sounds Like Craig Counsell May Have a Set Top Three in the Batting Order

New Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell has said, generally, his batting order philosophy is the very simplistic (and very correct): just get your best hitters the most at bats. Sure, there's some play in that to set up good match-ups,...

Los Angeles Dodgers Signing Will Smith to a TEN-YEAR Extension

The Los Angeles Dodgers have done it again. And by it, I mean they have signed a funkily-structured contract that is going to leave some folks annoyed. The Dodgers are extending catcher Will Smith on a DECADE-long deal with a...

The Stretch: 2024 MLB Season Preview

On Monday, during a team-building conversation with some of the Bleacher Nation and Betsperts Media Group folks, we discussed sports—shocking, I know—and Brian Twining asked the group what their favorite sport was. For me, it's baseball. There's no debate. I...

We Have to Talk About Some of the “Deals” the Cubs Sat Out in Free Agency

This week, in a conversation with Jon Greenberg at The Athletic, Cubs President Jed Hoyer made an honest and sober (but also moderately disappointing) admission about the 2024 Chicago Cubs: "We need to perform probably at or a little bit...

The Chicago Cubs Are Reportedly Now Worth Over $5 Billion

Given all the tumult in the baseball broadcasting world, and the uncertain future for that portion of revenues, you'd be forgiven for expecting that MLB franchise valuations would slow their recent surge. But, according to Sportico at least, you'd be...

Reds Second Baseman Matt McLain Had Shoulder Surgery

The injury to Matt McLain's shoulder issue obviously wound up being worse than he and the Cincinnati Reds had been hoping. The damage to his left (non-throwing) labrum ultimately required surgery: https://twitter.com/m_sheldon/status/1772993402604339478 When the hope is that a guy can...

Latest News

Rangers vs. Cubs Probable Starting Pitchers – March 28

The Texas Rangers (0-0) and the Chicago Cubs (0-0) square off on Thursday at Globe Life Field for Opening Day. First pitch is at 7:35 PM ET.The Rangers will call on Nathan Eovaldi against the Cubs and Justin Steele.Rangers vs....

Best NBA Prop Bets Today – March 28, 2024

The Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks take the court for one of two exciting matchups on the NBA slate today.Looking for NBA player prop bets for today's games? This article includes NBA player props for every matchup, so take...

UNC vs Alabama Predictions and Odds: March Madness Best Bets

We have a great matchup in the Sweet 16 between (1) North Carolina and (4) Alabama. Let's break down the odds, ATS records, and more for UNC vs Alabama as March Madness continues. Read More: Today's schedule and upset picks...

Seattle Seahawks Offseason Preview: 2024 Free Agents and Team Needs

The Seattle Seahawks turn the page on a historic era as they enter the 2024 season without Pete Carroll at the helm for the first time since 2010. Carroll's impact on the franchise is undeniable, crafting a period of sustained...

Who Is In The Sweet 16? Updated Bracket, Odds to Win, and More

It has been a great March Madness so far and we have more great matchups in the Sweet 16. Check out what teams are in the Sweet 16, odds, and more as the college basketball season rolls on. Latest March...

Today’s March Madness Schedule: Updated Bracket, TV Channels for Every Game

The Sweet 16 is here as March Madness brings us some great matchups tonight! Check out today's March Madness schedule along with game times, TV channels, and more as the college basketball season's biggest games continue. The Sweet 16 Begins...

2024 MLB Mock Draft: Opening Day Mock Draft Projections

Happy Opening Day! As the new baseball season begins, and hope is present among most fanbases, why not take a look at a new 2024 MLB Mock Draft? Various mock drafts meticulously analyze potential picks, emphasizing the abundance of talent...

WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

Pac-12 Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | March 28

There is one game featuring a Pac-12 teams on the Thursday postseason college basketball schedule, the Clemson Tigers versus the Arizona Wildcats. Make sure you check out below for today's best bets!How to Bet on Pac-12 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Best Pac-12...

Rays vs. Blue Jays Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Tampa Bay Rays open their season as -132 favorites in a home matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday at 4:10 PM ET, live on MLB Network.Zach Eflin will get the ball for Tampa Bay while Toronto will...

more cubs news