Cubs Lineup Thoughts: Dansby Swanson Good to Go, Colin Rae Needs to Bounce Back

Who the heck is this new guy!?

Hello, friends! My name is Elias Schuster – aka your new publisher here on Cubs On SI. As a Chicagoland native who has chugged countless Old Styles and knows for a fact that right field sucks, the chance to take over this site is an honor. We are going to have plenty of fun keeping you up to date on all things Cubbies in both a professional, engaging, and fun manner. After all, that's my middle name! Elias 'Professional-Engaging-Fun' Schuster!

Anyway, what better time to start this new era than at 1:20 on a Friday?

Chicago Cubs Lineup

1. Nico Hoerner, 2B
2. Moisés Ballesteros, DH
3. Alex Bregman, 3B
4. Ian Happ, LF
5. Seiya Suzuki, RF
6. Michael Busch, 1B
7. Carson Kelly, C
8. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
9. Dansby Swanson, SS

Obviously, the biggest and most encouraging news of the day is that Dansby Swanson is back in the fold. The infielder sat out the series finale in San Diego after leaving the previous game early with a sore left glute. While the Cubs maintained that he would return for this Friday afternoon's matchup, fans can officially breathe.

Swanson has been one of the many reasons why this Cubs squad has turned things around so rapidly. In addition to his elite interior defense, Swanson's power swing has been on full display. His six homers on the year sit second on the team behind only Ian Happ.

For what it's worth, he has also been even better this season at limiting his swings at pitches outside the zone. Swanson's chase percentage has dropped to 21.5 through his first 122 plate appearances, which sits in the league's 87th percentile. To little surprise, this has also led to a team-high 20 walks. Why is that particularly important on a day like today? The Diamondbacks' starter feasts on getting opposing batters to swing at his breaking ball.

Manager Craig Counsell has also chosen to sit Matt Shaw after his big day. The kinda-sorta utility man mustered three hits and seven total bases in the tight 5-4 win over the Padres. The Cubs have him to thank for the winning run, as Shaw sent a solo shot into left field in the top of the eighth. He came into the day appearing in nine straight contests for the Cubs.

Lastly ... Moisés Ballesteros batting second at 1:20 on a Friday at Wrigley? Yes, please! The Cubs shot the DH up the lineup midway through the Padres series thanks to his scalding hot start to the year. Ballesteros has 24 hits and 16 RBIs over his first 71 at-bats this season. Putting him right behind Nico Hoerner at the top of the order only feels right at this point. As for opposing pitchers, I'm sure it only feels terrifying.

Arizona Diamondbacks Lineup

1. Geraldo Perdomo, SS
2. Ildermaro Vargas, 2B
3. Corbin Carroll, RF
4. Adrian Del Castillo, DH
5. Gabriel Moreno, C
6. Jose Fernandez, 1B
7. Nolan Arenado, 3B
8. Alek Thomas, CF
9. Jorge Barrose, LF

The Diamondbacks enter Game 1 of 3 with a 4-6 record in their last ten games. While this lineup has some serious firepower, consistent offense has been hard to come by for this group. To be clear, they have cut down on their strikeouts a lot and have recorded the fewest in baseball over the last 15 days. But this is undoubtedly a day where the Cubs' rock-solid defense could take care of business.

Pitching Matchup

Apr 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea (53) delivers during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Cubs – Colin Rae, RHP

Colin Rae has stepped back into the starting rotation in the wake of injury trouble and has looked comfortable. Did the Dodgers beat up on him during his last start? Yes, but I think that's something most Cubs fans can live with. Today's matchup should work far more in his favor, particularly when we consider Rea's recent ability to force ground balls. The Diamondbacks have been right near the top of the league in grounding into double plays this season.

Diamondbacks – Zac Gallen, RHP

In an alternate universe, Zac Gallen is sitting in the Cubs dugout this afternoon. The organization was hoping to land the righty this winter before he ended up sticking with the Diamondbacks. He's been just as dependable as always, limiting hard contact and frustrating batters with his mix of command and movement. For a Cubs' offense that has been firing on all cylinders in recent weeks, Gallen does have the kind of stuff to bring them back down to earth a bit.

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