Today’s roster moves: Here
The Cubs are interested in Lucas Giolito, per The Athletic.
Tuesday notes…
- DOUBLE DIGITS THE WRONG WAY: Last night’s game was the Cubs’ 106th since 2016 in which they allowed double-digit runs. They played another game after 102 of the previous ones. They won 53 and lost 49, including 1-0 this year, 7-4 last year and 5-4 in 2024. They allowed an average of 4.34 runs in all 102 subsequent games, including five shutouts and 20 games with one run. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- DANSBY, HEATING UP: Dansby Swanson, last three games: 3-for-9 (.333) with two home runs, four walks and six runs scored.
- KEEPING POSITIVE: The Cubs’ five-run eighth Monday kept their run differential in positive territory at +4, despite their 7-9 record.
- YOU GO, MO BALLER: Moisés Ballesteros, last six games since April 7: .563/.556/1.000 (9-for-16) with a double, two home runs, five RBI and five runs scored. (The BA/OBP difference is a mathematical oddity due to having one walk and one sacrifice fly.)
Cubs lineup:
Phillies lineup:
Riley Martin, LHP vs. Aaron Nola, RHP
Riley Martin, clearly, is an opener tonight, starting so he can face Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, Phillies left-handed batters who will come to the plate in the first inning.
Martin started one game at Triple-A Iowa this year and
allowed one run in three innings. He’s never faced the Phillies, obviously, and perhaps he can stop Schwarber and Harper, and then give way, most likely, to Colin Rea, the originally scheduled starter for this game.
Rea stepped in admirably for Matthew Boyd when Boyd hit the injured list — just as he subbed capably for Justin Steele last year. He threw five two-hit innings against the Rays last Wednesday.
Last year, Rea made two starts against the Phillies. One was pretty good, the other not so much. J.T. Realmuto is 5-for-11 with a home run vs. Rea, and Kyle Schwarber has also homered off him.
Aaron Nola is off to a good start this year, with all three of his starts at least decent.
Last year he missed a whole bunch of time due to injuries, but before that he threw seven one-run innings against the Cubs April 27, 2025 at Wrigley Field.
Michael Conforto has homered twice off Nola — but is 10-for-53 overall with 19 strikeouts. Similar for Dansby Swanson: three homers off Nola, but overall 15-for-66 (.227) with 13 strikeouts.
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Here is the weather forecast for Philadelphia.
Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also on TBS (outside the Cubs and Phillies market territories).
Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, 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.
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