Pre-Gamin’: Cubs vs Brewers (7:10 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

CUBS LINEUP — The Brewers are in first place of the Cubs’ division, but if we’re actually talking about playoff odds, beating the Giants might’ve been more important than this weekend series in Milwaukee. But given how frustrating the Brewers have been for … oh, 15 years now, I think I speak for everyone when I say let’s sweep ’em this weekend. That would feel nice.

Chicago Cubs Lineup:

1. Nico Hoerner, 2B
2. Michael Busch, 1B
3. Cody Bellinger, RF
4. Seiya Suzuki, DH
5. Ian Happ, LF
6. Chris Morel, 3B
7. Dansby Swanson, SS
8. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
9. Miguel Amaya, C

Colin Rea is on the mound for the Brewers tonight, and he comes with traditional lefty/righty splits over his 361.0 career big league innings:

vLHH: .252/.32/.449 (.331 wOBA)
vRHH: .239/.300/.407 (.306 wOBA)

Nonetheless, Nico Hoerner remains at leadoff with Ian Happ batting fifth. I still think it would be worth swapping them against righties like Rea, but it’s not big deal. Plus, Happ has hit for some more power over the last month and Hoerner has started to hit a bit again lately anyway.

In any case, Seiya Suzuki is once again the DH, even outside of the spacious Oracle Park, so I wonder if we’re gonna see even more of this defensive alignment now against righties. Basically, it’s a product of three things at once:

1. Michael Busch is hitting, so there are not many starts at 1B for Bellinger
2. The Cubs want PCA’s glove in center and speed on the bases, when he does get on
3. Seiya Suzuki’s outfield defense has been less-than-ideal

I’m into it. Go Cubs. Beat them.

Milwaukee Brewers Lineup:

1. TBA

Pitching Matchup:

Chicago Cubs: Jameson Taillon, RHP

I admit that even after the Rays start (which was a good one in terms of results), I wasn’t particularly optimistic about Jameson Taillon. He just seemed a little off, a little too hittable. But he delivered a quality start against the Cardinals after that and then struck out 10 Mets with no walks and just one earned run on a solo homer over 7.0 innings against the Mets. That’s just 3ER total over his last 19.0 IP. He’s been solid. I was wrong. But now let’s hope that continues tonight, because the Brewers lineup is very tough on right-handed pitching this season (114 wRC+, 5th in MLB).

Milwaukee Brewers: Colin Rea, RHP

If the Cubs are going to mount any sort of improbable comeback this season, pitchers like Colin Rea cannot be seen as hurdles. Sure, he’s having some success this season (3.62 ERA over 13 starts, 15 appearances total), but this is a guy with a 15.6% strikeout rate, who allows plenty of hard contact and isn’t some sort of groundball god or master of command. Just hit him early, often, and hard and kick this series off right.

Broadcast Info:

Chicago Cubs (38-44) vs Milwaukee Brewers (48-33) at 7:10 pm CT – Marquee Sports Network, MLBN, 670 The Score

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Chicago Cubs:

Mike Tauchman, OF

Ben Brown, SP

Jordan Wicks, SP

Mark Leiter Jr., RP

Javier Assad, SP

Caleb Kilian, SP

Julian Merryweather, RP

Yency Almonte, RP

Adbert Alzolay, RP

Milwaukee Brewers:

Oliver Dunn, IF/OF

Gary Sanchez, C

Brandon Woodruff, SP

Devin Williams, RP

Garrett Mitchell, OF

J.B. Bukauskas, RP

DL Hall, SP

Wade Miley, SP

Joe Ross, SP

Robert Gasser, SP