Cubs Lineup Thoughts: No Nico Hoerner, Good Matchup for Shota Imanaga? More

Cubs fans that arrived early to Wrigley today got their hands on a Kerry Wood bobblehead. That's got to be good luck for Shota, right!?

Game Info

Who: Arizona Diamondbacks a (16-15) at Chicago Cubs (20-12)
Where: Wrigley Field
When: 1:20 PM CT
Watch: Marquee Sports Network
Listen: 104.3 The Score

Chicago Cubs Lineup

1. Michael Busch, 1B
2. Moisés Ballesteros, DH
3. Alex Bregman, 3B
4. Ian Happ, LF
5. Seiya Suzuki, RF
6. Pete Crow-Armston, CF
7. Dansby Swanson, SS
8. Matt Shaw, 2B
9. Miguel Amaya, C

After leaving the series opener in the second inning on Friday, Nico Hoerner will sit out the second set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hoerner has played in all 32 games so far this season, establishing himself as one of the league's top lead-off threats. The good news is that early indications are he shouldn't miss much time. Craig Counsell said after yesterday's win that he is only expecting the star hitter to miss one or two games as he works through some neck tightness.

The bad news is that Hoerner has been soooo good that losing him for any game could immediately sting. As experienced as Michael Busch may be at the top of the order, his struggles have been well-documented this season. The lefty has hit only .203 this year with 31 strikeouts and just an OPS of .598.

Nevertheless, the red-hot Moises Ballesteros will hit second for the fourth game in a row, while Alex Bregman will bat third for the third consecutive outing. Bregman has four hits over his last three outings, which included a double and an RBI in Game 1. It's been a solid bounce-back after a hitless Dodgers series.

With Hoerner out, the other notable change comes at second base. Matt Shaw will pick up the slack and start only his third game at the position this season. He's spent the majority of his time in the outfield, specifically suiting up in right field for 13 games. It's been strange to see Shaw take on the utility man role, but he's done a decent job. More importantly, his bat has also been good enough to justify finding a spot for him in the lineup. After an up-and-down rookie year, Shaw's been considerably more consistent with his 22 hits, 10 RBIs, and only 15 strikeouts.

Arizona Diamondbacks Lineup

1. Ketel Marte, 2B
2. Geraldo Perdomo, SS
3. Corbin Carroll, RF
4. Ildemaro Vargas, 1B
5. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., LF
6. Nolan Arenado, DH
7. Jose Fernandez, 3B
8. James McCann, C
9. Jorge Barrose, CF

Journeyman and former Cub Ildemaro Vargas is the hottest hitter in baseball. Yes, you read that right. He is looking to extend his hitting streak to 25 games and is fresh off a 4-4 outing in his team's 6-5 loss. Consider this your warning, Shota!

Pitcing Matchup

Apr 21, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) throws during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Cubs – Shota Imanaga, LHP

Shota Imanaga is coming off his worst start of the season, but can you blame him? While he may have let up five earned runs and three walks, he did it against a star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers lineup. Also, if we've learned anything about Imanaga over the last couple of seasons, it's that you're going to have to sprinkle in a few outings where his fastball is getting whacked.

Overall, it's been a pretty fantastic season for the lefty, who is currently recording a chase rate of 40.1 percent (98th percentile). His 28.6 percent K rate is also a career-high, as he's used mainly a three-pitch arsenal to catch his opponent swinging. This has included a bump back up in his fastball velo.

I'm not quite sure what to think of this specific matchup for Imanaga. On the one hand, he's getting a Diamondbacks squad that loves to swing the bat and isn't particularly patient at the plate. On the other hand, this also isn't a group that strikes out a lot. They put the ball in play pretty consistently, and Imanaga has a tendency to allow some hard contact.

Diamondbacks – Ryne Nelson, RHP

The Cubs' batters should be licking their chops. Ryne Nelson is off to an uncharacteristically rough start for the Diamondbacks. The starter has a 7.71 ERA and has given up a combined 14 runs over his last two games. He does offer an impressive fastball that sits in the mid-to-high 90s and couples that with a low 80s curve, but the command just hasn't been there. His walk rate is up pretty drastically, and opponents have been finding the sweet spot against him with ease. With that said, Nelson has been a long-time starter for a reason. He isn't going to be fazed by a slow start to the year.

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