Chicago Cubs Lineup: Cubs, Arrieta Clash with White Sox in Cross-Town Affair

Photo of Jon Ferlise Jon FerliseJuly 25, 2016

In case you missed it, the Chicago Cubs have traded for Aroldis Chapman. I’ll have my breakdown on the trade out in a little while.

The Cubs (59-38) open up their four-game series with the Chicago White Sox (48-50) today in the cross-town rivalry. The first two games are at U.S. Cellular Field. The next two games will be played at Wrigley Field. For today’s match-up the Cubs ace pitcher, Jake Arrieta (12-4, 2.60 ERA), will take the mound trying to stifle a fairly stifle-able White Sox team.

The White Sox started the 2016 season out on fire and have cooled considerably since April. They have the 27th ranked offense with a 5.7 fWAR, compared to the Cubs who are ranked number one with a 22.8 fWAR (FanGraphs).

With most of the team for the Cubs back to good health the lineup becomes fairly predictable at this point of the season. The exception for tonight is the use of the designated hitter. Dexter Fowler is batting lead-off tonight as the DH. Interesting approach by Joe Maddon but it’s likely designed that way to keep Fowler’s bat in the lineup while continuing to get him rest after his recent stretch on the DL.

Top to bottom, this is a really exciting lineup and it has a lot of upside run potential. And no, I don’t think we’ll see Aroldis in tonight’s game but it would be pretty cool if somehow it does happen.

Photo of Jon Ferlise Jon FerliseJuly 25, 2016
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