Chicago Cubs vs Minnesota Twins – Series Preview (July 17-19): Overview, Game and Broadcast Info, Starting Pitchers, W2W4
The Cubs (54-42) wrapped up the first half on a strong note with a 4-2 road trip in Baltimore and Cincinnati. The offense continues to lead the way as the beleaguered pitching staff is doing just enough to collect victories. Craig Counsell and company now return from the All-Star break for a three-game set with the Twins at Wrigley beginning Friday night.
Minnesota (48-49) appeared to be going nowhere in 2026, hovering a handful of games under .500 for most of the season. They closed strong right before the break, going 7-3 to pull into a tie for the final Wild Card spot in the decidedly mediocre American League.
The Twinkies have been very good offensively with a .738 team OPS, which is the eighth best in MLB. Center fielder Byron Buxton has finally stayed healthy and he is hitting his full potential with 25 homers and a .904 OPS. Long-tenured DH Josh Bell has 13 dingers and 60 RBI, while first baseman Kody Clemens has gone deep 16 times.
Minnesota has had significantly more issues on the pitching side, as evidenced by a 4.62 team ERA that ranks 24th in baseball. Ace Joe Ryan is having a great year with a 2.50 ERA, but the Cubs will not see him in the series. Taj Bradley has also been a very good starter in the No. 2 spot in the rotation.
The Twins’ bullpen has been a complete disaster this season, with a 5.19 ERA that is the second worst in the league. Yoendrys Gomez has unexpectedly emerged to take over the closer job after being grabbed off waivers from Tampa Bay.
Chicago got some much-needed rest with four days off before beginning one of the toughest remaining schedules in baseball. They have put themselves in position for a potential playoff run and currently hold the top spot in the Wild Card, but they have to avoid another rough stretch like they had at the start of June. Time to start the push to the finish line.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Friday, July 17 at 7:05pm CT on Marquee.
- Saturday, July 18 at 1:20pm CT on Marquee.
- Sunday, July 19 at 1:20pm CT on Marquee.
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 7/17 | Colin Rea | 36 | R | 4.75 | 7-5 | 4.91 | 1.94 |
| Bailey Ober | 31 | R | 4.40 | 6-3 | 4.91 | 2.68 | |
| 7/18 | Matthew Boyd | 35 | L | 4.50 | 5-1 | 3.58 | 3.62 |
| Taj Bradley | 25 | R | 3.59 | 9-3 | 3.93 | 2.95 | |
| 7/19 | Shōta Imanaga | 32 | L | 4.17 | 5-8 | 4.64 | 3.89 |
| Zebby Matthews | 26 | R | 4.57 | 4-6 | 5.10 | 3.00 |
What to Watch For
- Alex Bregman has homered in consecutive games for the first time in a Cubs uniform.
- Michael Busch got five hits in his last two games, including three doubles.
- Imanaga has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his last six outings.
- Carson Kelly homered twice on the road trip.
