Monday notes…
- IT’S STILL EARLY: April 6 is the earliest date on which the Cubs have played the Rays. The previous earliest was April 18, in 2022, at Wrigley Field. The earliest at Miami was June 11 in 2024, the last time the Cubs journeyed there. The Cubs’ first games this season vs. the Angels and Guardians also were their earliest in those rivalries. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- HOME RUNS ARE GOOD, BUT… The Cubs have lost the last three games in which they hit exactly three home runs: on Sept. 25 of last year, at home against the Mets, 8-5; on March 29, at home against the Nationals, 6-3; and yesterday in Game 2 at Cleveland, 6-5. Before that, they had lost only three of 19 three-homer games, going back to Sept. 30, 2023. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- DOUBLEHEADER CATCH-UP: The Cubs split Sunday’s doubleheader in Cleveland. The last time the Cubs swept a doubleheader on the road was Sept. 11, 2015 at Philadelphia.
- STEALING BASES: The Cubs have stolen eight bases so far this year without being caught. They are the only MLB team with at least eight steals this year with no runners caught stealing.
Cubs lineup:
Rays lineup:
Jameson Taillon, RHP vs. Shane McClanahan, RHP
Jameson Taillon’s ERA shows 0.00, which is good!
I wouldn’t exactly call his first 2026 start “good,” though. He walked four and threw 85 pitches and didn’t complete the fifth inning. Still, it was better than his awful Spring Training. So that’s something, anyway.
The last time he faced the Rays in Tampa, June 11,
2024, he threw six shutout innings, striking out five. That’d work, though most of those guys aren’t on the Rays anymore.
Cedric Mullins, new to the Rays this year, is 5-for-14 against Jamo with two home runs. So watch for that.
Shane McClanahan allowed two hits and three walks in 4.2 innings in his first 2026 start against the Brewers. That was, in fact, his first MLB appearance since 2023, following Tommy John surgery and then a nerve issue.
He has faced the Cubs once in his career, May 30, 2023 at Wrigley Field. Nico Hoerner homered off him that evening.
That’s about all I’ve got on McClanahan.
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Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.
Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Rays site DRays Bay. If you do go there to interact with Rays 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 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.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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