Chicago Cubs Lineup (9/5/26): Assad Returns with Gusto
We’re going quick today because there’s a big slate of college football and I need to get in a bike ride before driving to Cincinnati to see Wu-Tang Clan with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Good times. The Cubs got a win last night behind Shota Imanaga, who didn’t give up a homer, and now fans who’ve been clamoring for Javier Assad get their wish. The righty is on the bump this afternoon for his first MLB start in just over a month, though he stayed stretched out with Iowa.
Assad looked a little shaky in his first start with the I-Cubs after being optioned, but he cleaned things up last week with just one run allowed over 5.1 innings. He keeps getting the job done despite being among the lowest in the league when it comes to getting chases and whiffs, so let’s hope that remains the case.
Pete Crow-Armstrong is in center, Seiya Suzuki is in right, Michael Busch is at first, and Alex Bregman is at third this afternoon. Ian Happ is in left, Nico Hoerner handles shortstop, Pedro Ramírez is at second, and Michael Conforto is the DH. Miguel Amaya does the catching in this one.
They’re facing 27-year-old righty Ryan Gusto, who is very energetic and pleased to meet you. An 11th-round pick by the Astros out of Florida Southwestern JC in 2019, he worked his way steadily through Houston’s system for part of four seasons before breaking camp as a swingman in 2025. If the math doesn’t seem to be mathing there, it’s because Gusto lost 2020 to the COVID shutdown and ’21 due to elbow reconstruction. He was dealt to the Marlins as part of the return for Jesús Sánchez at the deadline in ’25, then allowed 14 runs in two starts before being placed on the IL with a shoulder impingement.
Gusto and Assad are in the same boat when it comes to being swing starters who’ve been optioned and recalled multiple times this season despite solid results. The big righty has a broad repertoire highlighted by an 87 mph changeup that he loves to throw away to left-handed hitters. His 95 mph fastball has a little cut and often lands middle-up; then there’s a 93 mph sinker with decent action. His 90 mph cutter is pretty good, but his sweeper, slider, and curve are not.
Because he throws the cutter and change far more often to lefties, Gusto has produced reverse splits this season. He’s also been much better at home, where the platoon splits are even more pronounced. That means it’ll either be very tough sledding for Cubs lefties, or we’ll see water find its level. I have a feeling the Cubs are going to have their way with Gusto today.
That hasn’t been the case in limited action previously, though Suzuki does have his team’s only homer against the Marlins starter. First pitch is at 3:10pm CT on Marquee and The Score.
