The Cubs get a fresh look at the Nationals on Tuesday night, and the lineup comes with a couple of notable twists. Ian Happ is out, Alex Bregman is getting the day off in the field, and Pedro Ramirez is back at third base after sitting out the starting lineup the last three games.
Chicago is also rolling out Tyrone Taylor again in left field. Craig Counsell said the recently acquired outfielder will start working in a platoon with Ian Happ against lefties, and this will be Taylor’s fifth start since coming over from the Mets at the trade deadline.
Ramirez’s bat has cooled a bit after his early run, going just .167 in his last 18 at-bats. Even so, he’s still at .310 over his last 15 games, which gives him a chance to settle back in at a new spot on the infield.
The Cubs have also been doing damage with the long ball, and they’ll try to keep that going against a Washington pitching staff that has given them room to breathe. Each of the top three hitters in the order is coming off a homer, including Pete Crow-Armstrong, whose blast traveled 437 feet.
The matchup on the mound gives Chicago another chance to take advantage. David Peterson has been sharp lately, posting a 1.57 ERA over his last five games, and he’s built to get ground balls at an elite rate. That profile fits well behind this Cubs defense, even if the Nationals are a team that can put the ball in play and reach base.
There’s also the other side of the equation, and it’s an inexperienced one. Washington is handing the ball to Jackson Kent for his major league debut after DFA’ing Miles Mikolas. Kent, the No. 8 prospect in the organization according to MLB Pipeline, brings a fastball with some movement and a change-up that’s considered his best pitch.
He’s logged a 3.72 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A this season, but this is his first crack at the big leagues. Against a veteran Cubs lineup, that’s the kind of setup Chicago will expect to attack early.
Chicago Cubs (70-50) at Washington Nationals (59-62) Nationals Park - Washington, DC
5:45 PM CT Watch: Marquee Sports Network
Listen: 104.3 The Score, TUDN, WPPN 106.7 / TUDN
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