Chicago Cubs vs. Boston Red Sox preview, Sunday 7/20, 1:20 CT

Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images

Sunday notes...

• MEATLOAFING: This is the 11th of the Cubs’ 33 series this year in which they have won the first two games. They completed sweeps in four of the previous series: at Sacramento against the Athletics and at home vs. the White Sox, Rockies and Guardians. They lost the third game at Milwaukee and at home vs. the Padres, Rangers, Diamondbacks and Marlins. There was no third game after they beat the Dodgers twice at home. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• STREAKING: If the Cubs complete the sweep today, they will match their season-high winning streak of five games, set Mar 31-April 5, when they swept the Athletics, then won two games at home against the Padres. Today’s game will be their 90th since then. The only time they won four in a row was May 25-28: the rubber game of a series at Cincinnati, then the sweep of the Rockies. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• THE BUSCH LEAGUE: Michael Busch, last 23 games since June 20: .361/.418/.711 (30-for-83) with two doubles, nine home runs, 21 RBI and 17 runs scored.
• NOT DOUBLED UP: The Cubs this season have grounded in to just 39 double plays in 97 games, the fewest in the major leagues. In fact, the Cubs’ 39 GIDPs are 12 fewer than second-place Milwaukee (51).

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Sunday series finale!

Watch the game live on the Marquee Sports Network App. pic.twitter.com/HAfrft0IyO

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 20, 2025

Red Sox lineup:

Sunday matinee. pic.twitter.com/U5onRxDSc2

— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 20, 2025

Cade Horton, RHP vs. Garrett Crochet, LHP

Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Cade Horton’s rookie year has seemed promising at times, rough at others. He hasn’t pitched in 11 days, since he had one of those “rough” days against the Twins July 9. But the start before that, July 3 vs. the Guardians, was his best to date — seven shutout innings.

Horton has a very

pronounced home/road split: He’s got a 2.54 ERA and 1.129 WHIP in five starts at Wrigley Field, and a 6.35 ERA and 1.694 WHIP in six appearances (five starts) on the road. So... hopefully pitching at home results in another good outing.

He’s obviously never faced the Red Sox or anyone on their active roster.

Garrett Crochet is currently leading the American League in ERA, ERA+, innings and strikeouts, and is a strong Cy Young candidate.

When he faced the Cubs last year, Aug. 7 on the South Side, the Cubs pounded him for seven runs in fewer than four innings. Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner homered off him (and so did two other Cubs no longer on the team, Cody Bellinger and Isaac Paredes). The Cubs had to hang on to win that game 7-6. Here’s hoping they remember how to hit Crochet this afternoon.

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.

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

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Red Sox site Over The Monster. If you do go there to interact with Red Sox 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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• On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Red Sox series preview
• Chicago Cubs vs. Boston Red Sox preview, Friday 7/18, 1:20 CT
• Minor League Wrap: Pelicans Florentino, Camacho combine to no-hit Augusta
• Cub Tracks’ let that be a warning to you
• Outside The Confines: And we’re back