The Chicago Cubs lock in Pedro Ramirez at designated hitter and retain their Saturday batting order against the Minnesota Twins at Wrigley Field. Shota Imanaga takes the mound for Chicago, facing Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews in a hazy, 74-degree afternoon matchup following a 6-2 victory.
With gametime temperatures hovering around 74 degrees in the Lakeview neighborhood under hazy and humid skies at Wrigley Field, manager-set lineups remain largely steady from Saturday’s victory.
Cubs Stick With Winning Lineup and Keep Ramirez at Designated Hitter
Ramirez earned the spot following a productive two-hit, two-RBI performance on Saturday afternoon.
At the top of the order, Pete Crow-Armstrong handles center field responsibilities while Seiya Suzuki plays right field. Michael Busch anchors first base, Alex Bregman covers third, Ian Happ starts in left field, Nico Hoerner plays second base, Carson Kelly catches behind the plate, and Dansby Swanson rounds out the infield at shortstop.
Nico Hoerner enters Sunday’s contest looking to sustain momentum after securing his first four-hit performance of the season on Saturday, which immediately followed a two-hit game on Friday afternoon.
Shota Imanaga Takes the Ball for Chicago Against Zebby Matthews
Left-hander Shota Imanaga gets the start for the Cubs, carrying a 5-8 record and a 4.17 ERA into the afternoon matchup. Over his last three starts, Imanaga has allowed just two home runs, and across his last seven games, he has pitched to a 3.79 ERA with 36 strikeouts against only nine walks.
On the opposite side, the Twins send right-hander Zebby Matthews to the mound for his 12th start of the season. Matthews holds a 4-6 record with a 4.57 ERA. While the 26-year-old pitcher has avoided any major blow-ups, he has surrendered at least one home run in each of his last four starts, totaling 14 long balls allowed on the year.
Because opposing teams are slugging .476 against his fastball this season, the Cubs hope to capitalize by attacking his heater early in counts to establish an early lead and give Imanaga breathing room.
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