Chicago Cubs Lineup (6/20/26): PCA Leads Off, Hoerner Second, Rea Starting

Baseball sure is a lot more fun when you’re winning, and it’s a lot less stressful when the outcome is never in question. I’m typing this up while prepping to head out for a 17U doubleheader that will determine whether or not my son’s team will win their pool, which they currently lead with a 2-0 record. He carved on the mound with 12 strikeouts in yesterday’s win, but they had to walk it off after a sluggish offensive start. The Cubs had different ideas.

They scored a 1st-inning touchdown for the second game in a row, then they added three field goals in what quickly became a laugher. Some may have been advising them to save some runs for the next game(s), but there’s no such thing as keeping powder dry in sports. All we can hope is that they’ve made like Stella and can now maintain their groove through at least the end of the month.

As we’ve discussed here more than once, however, momentum is your next day’s starter.

Colin Rea has been kind of like if the Peter Principle was a swing starter, as he’s been given more responsibility until reaching the point that he probably shouldn’t be asked to bear more. Wait, that also sounds like our government. Either way, Rea has not been nearly as effective as last season. His strikeouts are down, his walks are up, and he’s served up too many barrels.

But the Cubs are looking for any port in a storm of pitching injuries, so Rea is going to have to bear down and be better. I know the folks in Cascade, IA would love to ride him for a few more frosty beverages at the Corner Tap, so maybe he can come throw for them this afternoon.

Superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong is leading off, followed by Nico Hoerner, who needs to rediscover his game at the plate after struggling with some mechanical adjustments. Seiya Suzuki is the DH, Michael Busch is at first, Alex Bregman takes third, and Ian Happ is in left. Matt Shaw is back in right, Miguel Amaya is the catcher, and Dansby Swanson plays short.

They’re up against experienced lefty Patrick Corbin, who I had completely forgotten was pitching in Toronto now. I’m apparently not alone, as his headshot on FanGraphs features a Nationals cap and jersey even though Corbin played for the Rangers last year. He signed a big deal with the Nats in 2019 after a strong run in Arizona, the team for which he debuted in 2012.

Now less than a month from his 37th birthday, the southpaw has lost a fair bit of juice from those days. His 4.57 ERA would be his second-lowest of the last six seasons, and his 15.9% strikeout rate is the second-lowest of his career. He has only completed six innings in one of his 13 starts and hasn’t made it through four innings in either of his last two, so the Cubs can expect to face a few relievers in this one.

Corbin is kind of a throwback lefty, featuring a 91-92 mph sinker that is set off by a 79 mph slider, a 78 mph changeup, and an 86 mph cutter. He will throw his 91 mph fastball infrequently, then he’s credited with throwing a curve that might just be a stray slider.

The slider has been his best pitch in terms of run value, and he’ll attack left-handed hitters with them at a 43% clip. His changeup is actually more effective on a per-pitch basis, but that’s strictly for right-handed hitters. It all works out to pretty even platoon splits, though Corbin has been much better on the road this season. What matters even more than those results is what the Cubs have done against him over the years.

Across 155 total at-bats, this team has slashed .316/.376/.574 with 11 homers. Five of those have come from Michael Conforto, who has an 1.174 OPS in 36 ABs against Corbin. Bregman is the only member of the roster who’s struggled against Corbin, so you have to feel good about the Cubs’ chances in this one.

First pitch is at 1:20pm CT on Marquee and The Score.