Chicago Cubs vs. Kansas City Royals preview, Monday 7/21, 7:05 CT

Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images

Today’s roster move: Here

Monday notes...

• FIRST PLACE, STILL: The Cubs are tied for first place in the Central Division with the Brewers at 59-40. The Cubs had led at the end of the day after each of their last 82 games, beginning on April 12. That day, the Cubs posted their historic 16-0 demolition of the Dodgers at Los Angeles, to improve to 10-7, while the Brewers lost at Arizona, 5-4, leaving them 8-7. The Cubs’ largest lead was 6½ games, on June 17, after they beat the Brewers at Wrigley Field, 5-3. Since then, the Cubs are 14-12 and the Brewers are 20-5. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• MORE ON FIRST PLACE, STILL: The Cubs have owned at least a share of first place in the NL Central for 108 straight days dating to April 4.
• RUN DIFFERENTIAL: Despite the loss Sunday, the Cubs still lead MLB in run differential with +118. Only one other team is over +100 (Yankees, +112).
• MORE ON RUNS: The Cubs remain second in MLB in runs per game at 5.28 (Dodgers lead at 5.30). If the Cubs can maintain that run average for the rest of the season, they would match the 2008 Cubs (855) for the most runs for the franchise since 1930.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

New series loading.

Watch tonight's game on the Marquee Sports Network App. pic.twitter.com/YF0JAofpiR

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 21, 2025

Royals lineup:

Noah takes the mound on the North Side. pic.twitter.com/2ogLdQU5zn

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 21, 2025

Ryan Brasier, RHP vs. Noah Cameron, LHP

Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Ryan Brasier will be an opener tonight. It’s a role he’s done previously — four times for the Dodgers last year.

Ben Brown has been recalled from Triple-A Iowa to be the “bulk guy” this evening. You all know of Brown’s struggles in the majors

previously this year. In his two starts for Iowa he allowed one run in nine innings and held opponents to a .129 BA (4-for-31). There were reports that he used his changeup more frequently than he did in MLB games earlier this year; if he can do that and be effective with it, Brown’s return could really help the team.

I’m posting Brown’s pitch selection chart below in addition to Brasier’s.

Noah Cameron was the Royals’ seventh-round pick out of the University of Central Arkansas in 2021. He made his MLB debut in late April and in 12 starts, has allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of them.

He’s also left-handed... and you know what generally happens when the Cubs face left-handed starters. Cameron has never faced the Cubs or anyone on their active roster.

Let’s hope for a better result tonight.

Baseball Savant

Baseball Savant

Baseball Savant

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. You can find out if Marquee is available via a provider in your area here. It’s also on MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Royals market territories).

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Royals site Royals Review. If you do go there to interact with Royals fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2025 Game Thread procedure will be identical to last year’s.

You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.

You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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