SITE NOTE: Today is the annual postgame bleacher BBQ, thus today’s recap will be delayed an hour or so past the usual time.
Saturday notes…
- SATURDAY IN THE PARK: The Cubs are 8-7 on Saturday this season. They finished 20-7 a year ago, including 9-5 at home, where they are 4-4 this year. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- LET THERE BE DAYLIGHT: The Cubs are 21-10 in day games so far, significantly better than their 43-32 final showing last season. They are 15-10 in sunshine at home this year. They wound up 29-20 a year ago. They also are enjoying more success in day games after night games (12-8 to 19-19 last season) and in day games at home after night games (7-3 to 7-8). (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- LACK OF LONG BALLS: The Cubs did not hit a home run last night and served up a decisive three-run blast. They are 14-25 when they have surrendered more homers than they have hit, 20-12 when they have hit the same number and 20-6 when they have hit more than they have allowed. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
- TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: After a rain delay of two hours and 30 minutes, Javier Báez and Willson Contreras homered in a four-run Cubs third inning. That led the Cubs to a 5-1 win over the Braves in Atlanta. It happened nine years ago today, Tuesday, July 18, 2017.
Cubs lineup:
Twins lineup:
Matthew Boyd, LHP vs. Taj Bradley, RHP
Matthew Boyd, four starts since returning from the knee injury: 2.86 ERA, 1.273 WHIP in 22 innings. Looks like he’s back on track to me.
Boyd did not face the
Twins last year and so only four of the current Twins have ever seen him, only one for more than a handful of at-bats: Josh Bell, 4-for-14, three walks.
Taj Bradley came to the Twins in a deadline deal last year that sent Griffin Jax to the Rays.
Bradley’s had a pretty good year in Minnesota in 2026. Over his last five starts: 2.32 ERA, 0.935 WHIP, 38 strikeouts in 31 innings.
He has two career starts vs. the Cubs and in those two games combined for 12.2 innings in which he allowed three unearned runs (0.00 ERA) and struck out 19. Alex Bregman, though, is 2-for-6 against him, both the hits home runs. So maybe Bregman can stay hot against him.
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Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.
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 Twins site Twinkie Town. If you do go there to interact with Twins 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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