Tonight, the Cubs begin a crucial three-game series against the Diamondbacks.
August 23, 2026, Seattle, Washington, USA: Pedro Ramírez, a 75-year-old second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, smashes a grand slam home run against the Seattle Mariners in the eighth inning at T-Mobile Park. Required Attribution: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN Images through Reuters Connect
Both teams are in the running for the Wild Card this season, and the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks will begin a three-game series on Monday nite.
After losing the first two games in Seattle this weekend, the Cubs are expecting to turn the road trip around, but these games against Arizona are arguably more crucial to their prospects of making the playoffs. The Diamondbacks are only two games behind the Padres for the final Wild Card berth going into tonight’s game, while the Cubs lead the Phillies by two games for the top slot.
The WIld Card is the D’backs’ and Cubs’ best opportunity to qualify for the postseason because they play in divisions headed by the two best teams in baseball, the Dodgers and the Brewers, respectively. These three games this week could create a playoff-like atmosphere, bringing some drama to the last week of August.
Details of the Game
Who: Arizona Diamondbacks (69-62) vs. Chicago Cubs (75-56)
Where: Phoenix, Arizona’s Chase Field
When: 8:40 p.m. CT
Watch: Sports Network Marquee
Listen: The Score of 104.3
Lineup for the Chicago Cubs
- Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
- RF Seiya Suzuki
- 1B Michael Busch
- 3B Alex Bregman
- Ian Happ, LF
- Nico Hoerner, SS
- 2B Pedro Ramirez
- DH Michael Conforto
- Carson Kelly, C.
Tonight, Michael Conforto will start as the Cubs’ DH for the second time in a row. He had excellent stats against Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly (1.071 OPS and 3 doubles in 18 PAs) and blasted a home run on Sunday in Seattle. With a home run and a double in ten PAs, Michael Busch has strong stats against Kelly as well.
Naturally, following a 19-run outburst yesterday, Pedro Ramirez and Ian Happ both hit grand homers and led the club in RBIs. I’m hoping for more runs in tonight’s game against the Diamondbacks!
Lineup for the Arizona Diamondbacks
- DH Lars Nootbaar
- RF Corbin Carroll
- Gabriel Moreno, C.
- SS Geraldo Perdomo
- Kepler, Gabe, LF
- 3B Nolan Arenado
- Tim Tawa, 1B
- Ildemaro Vargas, 2B
- Ryan Waldschmidt, CF
Ketel Marte, the Diamondbacks’ top 2B, is still out for ten days due to hamstring discomfort and inflammation in his left knee. However, during one of the Diamondbacks’ games last week, the 32-year-old was allegedly spotted inside a casino, which is unquestionably a decision. Ildemaro Vargas, a former Cub, will once again start at 2B for Marte. In Arizona, the situation is peculiar.
On the Mound …
RHP Kevin Gausman of the Cubs
In his most recent game against the White Sox, Kevin Gausman was limited to 4.1 innings on 86 pitches due to a frightening left thumb cramp. The former Toronto Blue Jay hasn’t had the best start to his career with the Cubs. But Gausman hasn’t given up more than three runs in his last five outings, aside from his six-run performance against the Nationals.
His combination has mostly consisted of fastballs and splitters; in his most recent start, he threw the splitter 45 times against the White Sox. Expect more of that from the 35-year-old righty tonight. Gausman was hunting ground balls and got them with 50.0% of the balls hit in play.
Merrill Kelly, RHP, Diamondbacks
Merrill Kelly, 37, has given up five or more runs in three of his last four outings while having a 5.37 ERA so far this season. Kelly has also struggled with walks; in three of his last four outings, he has allowed three or more walks.
Kelly can still get batters to chase with his breaking balls when he gets ahead in counts, even though he won’t be striking out many batters. For the record, the Cubs faced Kelly earlier in the season and scored six runs off the Diamondbacks starter in 4.1 innings.