CUBS LINEUP — Well, the Cubs finally caught a bit of a break today. Instead of having to face Drew Rasmussen, who was a beast last season and off to a great start this year, they’ll get a bullpen game from the Rays. Why? Because Rasmussen and his wife are expecting their second child! Hooray! Sex nine months ago may have given the Cubs +1 win. I’ll take it!
The Cubs still have their work cut out for them, but a fill-in Javier Assad vs the Rays bullpen is a lot better than Assad vs Rasmussen.
To that end, here’s a breakdown of a new-look Cubs lineup for Game 2 in Tampa Bay, now started (er, well, opened) by Rays righty reliever Mason Englert.
Chicago Cubs Lineup:
Nico Hoerner, 2B Michael Busch, 1B Alex Bregman, 3B Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF Miguel Amaya, C Moises Ballesteros, DH Dansby Swanson, SS Michael Conforto, LF Matt Shaw, RFOkay, strictly speaking, this very different looking Cubs lineup is almost certainly about the lack of Ian Happ, who gets an early day off in Tampa. And I wouldn’t get used to anything while Seiya Suzuki is still out (he returns Friday).
Buuuuut I also can’t shake the feeling that Craig Counsell is at least toying with the idea of Nico Hoerner leading off full-time. And why not? Not only has Hoerner been great so far this year, but he’s actually been walking a little more than usual too, leading to a higher OBP.
And, as we’ve discussed a bunch this winter, he started hitting for a little more power at the end of last season, too. Which, if that’s something that sticks around, you definitely want him at the top more often than not.
With Hoerner leading off, Michael Busch moves down to second, with Alex Bregman and PCA following, continuing the lefty/righty mix.
Actually, now that I see it, the lefty/righty balance goes all the way down the Cubs lineup, with Amaya (R), Ballesteros (L), Swanson (R), Conforto (L), Shaw (R) rounding things out.
Speaking of which, Conforto is in left field for Happ while Shaw is in right field for Conforto/Suzuki. Shaw has looked pretty solid out there defensively, to my eye. So I think that’s the correct alignment. No reason to start teaching him another new outfield spot, when you can just slide Conforto over.
Anyway, this has me thinking about what the Cubs lineup could look like as soon as Friday, when Suzuki is back. Maybe something like …
Hoerner, 2B Busch, 1B Suzuki, RF Happ, LF Bregman, 3B PCA, CF Amaya/Kelly, C Ballesteros, DH Swanson, SSI think I like that. I don’t love Bregman so low, and I kind of wish Ballesteros (or PCA for that matter) were hitting enough to justify switching spots with Happ. But I don’t think we’re there YET. Eventually, I bet that does make sense.
But in reality, we’re probably going to hear that this was just a one-day thing, and we’ll go back to Busch up top. Which, to be clear, isn’t a bad thing. I just think we need to embrace Nico Hoerner closer to the top of the order.
Tampa Bay Rays Lineup:
Yandy Diaz, DH Jonathan Aranda, 1B Jake Fraley, RF Junior Caminero, 3B Chandler Simpson, LF Cedric Mullins, RF Nick Fortes, C Richie Palacios, 2B Taylor Walls, SSPitching Matchup:
Chicago Cubs: Javier Assad, RHP
Well, that didn’t take long.
Javier Assad began the season as the odd man out, getting sent to Iowa with a full Cubs rotation that didn’t even yet include Justin Steele. But after back-to-back injuries to Cade Horton AND Matthew Boyd, Assad is now the Cubs fourth starter, with no obvious person behind him (Colin Rea, Ben Brown … sign Lucas Giolito?).
To that end, he’s made two starts at Iowa so far, the first was scoreless but short (3.0 IP, 3H, 3BB, 5K). The second was … also short but bad: 4.0 IP, 11H, 7ER, 3BB, 2K.
But we’ve seen him succeed in the big leagues many times before. Now, we just have to hope he can actually repeat that prior success.
Tampa Bay Rays: Drew Rasmussen, RHP (scratched)
Like I mentioned above, Drew Rasmussen was supposed to be the starter today, but he’s been scratched. And that’s a good thing, because he got off to a great start, with just two earned runs through his first two starts combined against the Cardinals and Brewers.
Instead, the Cubs get a bullpen day from the Rays, who are opening with Mason Englert.
Englert, 26, is a reliever, but he routeinly went more than one inning last season. In his best performance of the sort, he held the Royals scoreless for 3.0 IP with no walks and four Ks.
Lefties have hit Englert a lot better than righties so far in his career. Maybe today, Ballesteros finally breaks out with a big game.
Broadcast Info:
Chicago Cubs(4-6) vs Tampa Bay Rays (5-5) at 5:40 CT – Marquee Sports Network, 104.3 The Score
Cubs vs Rays – Key Injuries:
Chicago Cubs:
Seiya Suzuki, OF Jordan Wicks, SP Porter Hodge, RP Justin Steele, SP (60-Day IL) Shelby Miller, RP (60-Day IL) Tyler Austin, IF/OF (60-Day IL) Cade Horton, RHP Matthew Boyd, LHPTampa Bay Rays:
Gavin Lux, 2B Edwin Uceta, RP Ryan Pepiot, SP Garrett Cleavinger, RP Manuel Rodriguez, RP Steven Wilson, RPCubs vs Rays – Tropicana Field Weather Report
Location: Tropicana Field Temperature: Non-factor, domeWind: Non-factor, dome
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