The Cubs are riding into Camden Yards with a lineup tweak behind the plate and a familiar shuffle in the middle of the order.
After taking care of business Tuesday behind Matthew Boyd’s best outing of the season, Chicago will try to keep the offense rolling against the Orioles. The Cubs finished that win with double-digit hits and did a much better job cashing in with runners in scoring position, which gave the lineup a cleaner look than it had been showing.
Here’s how they line up Wednesday:
- Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
- Alex Bregman, 3B
- Michael Busch, 1B
- Seiya Suzuki, DH
- Ian Happ, LF
- Nico Hoerner, 2B
- Michael Conforto, RF
- Carson Kelly, C
- Dansby Swanson, SS
Carson Kelly is back behind the plate and slots in eighth, which pushes Dansby Swanson down to ninth. Kelly hasn’t played since July 5, but he’s been swinging it well lately. He’s batting .282 on the year, has four hits over his last three games, and also drew two walks in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals.
The Cubs are also sticking with the Seiya Suzuki and Michael Conforto rotation at DH and right field. Meanwhile, Alex Bregman gets another shot to build on Tuesday’s performance after posting two RBIs and an extra-base hit - his third since June 4.
On the mound for Chicago is Colin Rea, who has quietly been one of the steadier arms in the rotation. He’s not going to pile up strikeouts or work deep into games, but he has kept opponents to two earned runs or fewer in each of his last three starts after a rough stretch in early June.
Baltimore presents a different kind of test. The Orioles bring power throughout the lineup and do a good job of lifting the ball, which could be a problem for a pitcher like Rea who leans heavily on grounders. At the same time, Baltimore strikes out at the fourth-highest rate in baseball, so this isn’t exactly the kind of matchup that should scare him.
The Orioles will counter with Dean Kremer, who returned to the rotation on July 1 after an extended stay on the injured list following his first two starts of the year. He looked sharp in that return, going six innings against the White Sox and allowing just one earned run.
Kremer has built a reputation for limiting hard contact and keeping his walks down. He leans on a strong split finger against lefties, along with a cutter and slider, and tries to get hitters to chase his offspeed stuff. That’s where the Cubs may have an edge: they own the fifth-lowest chase rate in baseball.
The game is set for 5:35 p.m. CT at Camden Yards.
In Other News...
Astros Already See Cubs Tucker Trade Return As Core Piece
Cam Smith has already given the Astros something to think about after coming over in the Kyle Tucker trade, and the early returns have been strong enough to push his name into a bigger conversation. The young outfielder has looked like more than a throw-in from Houstons side of the deal, and around the league there is already curiosity about whether the Astros should try to get ahead of the market and talk long-term security before the price climbs.
There is no immediate deadline, since Smith remains under club control for years, but that has not stopped the speculation from starting. The debate also fits a familiar Astros backdrop, with the organization still living with the reality of not having been able to lock up Jeremy Pena long term, which makes Smiths situation feel even more notable as Houston weighs the upside of certainty against the risk of moving too soon. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Just Sent The Cubs A Brutal Trade Deadline Warning
The Cardinals are making a clear statement about where they think their future is headed, and the timing matters for the Cubs. By locking up rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt on an eight-year deal, St. Louis is showing real confidence in a young core that has started to look more like a foundation than a placeholder, which is not the kind of posture Chicago can afford to ignore with the trade deadline looming.
For the Cubs, the message is less about one player than the broader direction of the division. If the Cardinals are willing to commit early to their emerging talent, they are signaling that they believe the rebuild is turning a corner, and that should sharpen Chicagos urgency to act while there is still time to strengthen its own roster. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Could Revisit A Familiar Deadline Arm With One Huge Catch
The Cubs are still hunting for starting pitching help as the trade deadline approaches, and Michael King remains a name worth circling because of the way he fits the market. Chicago has shown interest in the Padres right-hander before, and his work this season has kept him in the conversation as a pitcher who could still matter in a rotation chase.
The catch is the same one that has made him a tricky fit all along: any deal would have to account for a contract that is far from straightforward, along with the possibility that King could be headed back into free agency soon. If San Diego decides to sell, the Cubs could revisit a familiar target, but the cost in money and long-term uncertainty may be what keeps this from becoming a simple deadline fit. [Read more 🡒]