We expected some changes after back-to-back shutout losses and Joe Maddon has delivered. Ian Happ has struck out 10 times in 18 plate appearances and even though the Chicago Cubs are facing a lefty Tuesday night, Albert Almora Jr. won't be leading off.
Instead Ben Zobrist gets his first start at the leadoff spot in 2018, while Almora does get in the lineup starting in center.
So, no Happ and no Kyle Schwarber, while Jason Heyward stays in right field. Zobrist has looked great in the first few games of the season, striking the ball hard from the right side of the plate. A great sign from Zobrist, who was dealing with a bad wrist injury in 2017, when he only had a .553 OPS against left-handed pitching, hitting one home run in 106 at-bats. The middle of the lineup stays the same, as the Cubs hopefully can break out of their mini-slump. Cody Reed is starting for the Reds and the Cubs have seen him before and have hit him hard. Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Almora have all gone deep against Reed. The Reds' lefty has only made 11 career starts and 22 total appearances over two seasons with Cincinnati. He's walked 38, given up 15 home runs and 78 hits in 65.1 innings. Time to eat, Cubs.
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