Chicago Cubs Lineup (7/10/25): Tucker DH, Shaw at 3B, Rea Pitching to Avoid Sweep
Things are looking a little rough for the Cubs, who have dropped two straight while the Brewers keep beating up on the Dodgers. But the thing is, that 1.5 game lead in the Central is the same gap the Cubs have behind those same Dodgers for the best record in the NL. It just so happens that the Brewers have won four straight. The sky might look a little lower, but it’s not falling.
Maybe we’ll sing a different tune if the Cubs lose today and then drop their upcoming series in New York to close the first half. Colin Rea is the first line of defense against a sweep as he takes the mound following two excellent starts against the Astros and Cardinals. Though his performance has fluctuated quite a bit this season and I worry that asking for a third good game is a bit much, he could go out and shove.
Getting the offense rolling is of greater importance anyway, starting with Ian Happ in left and Kyle Tucker at DH. Seiya Suzuki is in right, Pete Crow-Armstrong is in center, and Michael Busch plays first. Dansby Swanson is at short, Carson Kelly is the catcher, Nico Hoerner mans second, and Matt Shaw will try to slow his skid as the third baseman.
They’re facing Chris Paddack, a former changeup specialist who has apparently lost the ability to throw his offspeed pitch. He used to be able to front-door left-handed hitters with it, leading to some of the best results in MLB, but things have gone downhill since then. Part of that came from undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in 2022, and some may just be the fickle nature of trying to command such a unique pitch.
I’m not going to provide as much scouting here as usual because I’m dealing with a time crunch, but there shouldn’t be much anyway. Paddack is a strike-thrower who doesn’t miss bats, even though he still has mid-90s velocity and a five-pitch mix. His problem is that the fastball is his only plus offering.
He’s comfortable throwing his four-seam, change, slider, and curve to batters on both sides, leading to nearly identical splits. The righty has been better at home this season, so the Cubs are at a slight disadvantage in that regard. Paddack will give up his share of hits, so it’s just a matter of making them count.
First pitch is at 12:10pm CT on Marquee and 670 The Score.
Last day in Minneapolis.
Watch the game live on the Marquee Sports Network app. pic.twitter.com/ut2lOfFhNM
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 10, 2025
