Chicago Cubs Lineup (4/12/26): Ballesteros Bats Second, Shaw at 1B, Taillon Trying to Avoid Sweep
It’s never a good thing to go into the last game of a series trying to fend off a sweep, and it’s worse to be doing so against a divisional opponent. The Pirates have looked like the more dynamic team so far, particularly on the pitching front in a pair of low-scoring affairs. They’re able to roll out numerous arms chucking mid-to-upper 90s with nasty stuff, while it feels at times like the Cubs are just hoping the wind aids their guys enough to keep balls in the yard.
Is my pessimism enhanced by the poor play of late? Sure, but I’d venture to guess that someone who had no idea about either team would believe the Pirates to be far superior based on watching them play. That’s certainly what the standings say, with the Bucs leading the NL Central while the Cubs sit all alone in last. Hey, at least the Brewers have looked mortal of late.
Jameson Taillon is going to need to keep his old team in check if the Cubs are to avoid complete disaster. His task won’t be an easy one, as the wind will be blowing out to center and left at nearly 20 mph. Any decent contact in the air has a chance to leave the yard, but that’s true for the Cubs as well.
Craig Counsell is shaking things up a little bit, sticking with second baseman Nico Hoerner as his leadoff batter and then moving DH Moisés Ballesteros to the two hole. Alex Bregman bats and plays third, Ian Happ cleans up in left, and Seiya Suzuki is back in right. Carson Kelly is the catcher, Pete Crow-Armstrong is in center, and Dansby Swanson is at short.
Matt Shaw gets the start at first base after finishing the game there on Saturday, giving Michael Busch his first break of the season. Busch needs a reset badly, as he’s currently mired in an 0-for-30 slump that dates back to April 2. He’s slashing .118/.220/.157 with a wRC+ of 18 on the season, and he’s yet to hit a home run. Yikes
Righty Bubba Chandler is on the mound for the Bucs, and he’s one of the hardest throwers in MLB right now. Here’s looking at the 23-year-old kid out of North Oconee High School in Bogart, GA whose fastball sits just over 99 mph. It plays up a little due to his 6.8-foot extension, but it’s not as valuable as his 93.1 mph changeup.
The problem for him so far is a disastrous lack of control that has seen him walk 10 batters against the same number of strikeouts in just 8.2 innings this season. He has also given up a ton of hard contact, though no one has homered against him yet. Chandler hasn’t done a good job of locating the heater, often zooing it above the zone, and he frequently yanks his slider down and to the glove side.
Maintaining a patient approach should allow the Cubs to get to the Pirates’ taxed bullpen somewhat early, which will be the key to their success this afternoon. On the other hand, they could get buried if they let Chandler get away with those high fastballs. This one could go either way, and I fear a slugfest will favor the visitors. We’ll see what happens at 1:20pm CT on Marquee and The Score.
The Sunday crew.
Watch the game live on @WatchMarquee. pic.twitter.com/cqrTY46QXb
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 12, 2026
