Red Sox at Cubs Lineups: A Weekend at Wrigley

For the first time since 2017, the Red Sox will open a three-game series with the Cubs this afternoon (2:20 p.m. ET, NESN, MLB Network out of market). It is their first trip to Wrigley Field since 2012.

The Red Sox (43-33, 2nd AL East) just lost two-out-of-three in Toronto and send Rich Hill to the mound, making his 15th start of the season with a 4-4 record and a 4.09 ERA. Boston gets their full roster back, reinstating OF Jarren Duran and RP Tanner Houck from the restricted list. Duran is right back out there, leading off in center field. In the corresponding moves, INF Yolmer Sanchez was sent to the minors and RP Silvino Bracho was traded to Atlanta for cash considerations. We will all look back on the Silvino Bracho era fondly.

The Cubs (30-46, 4th NL Central) have surprisingly won two series in a row against the Cardinals and Reds, and put up 15 runs on Thursday night to take two-out-of-three from Cincinnati. Adrian Sampson will make his second start of the season for the Cubs, coming into play with a 0-0 record and 1.69 ERA in 10 ²⁄₃ innings this season.

We will have to keep an eye on the weather this afternoon. Per Kevin Roth of RotoGrinders: “Solid pitching weather with winds blowing in at 10mph, except we also have to deal with scattered showers and a possible delay. Most of the rain is probably light enough to play through, but there’s a heavier shower or two mixed in that could cause a delay.”