Cubs Starting Pitchers vs. Cardinals Set, Opens with Clay Holmes Wrigley Debut

The Chicago Cubs have locked in their starting pitchers for a massive series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

To be sure, their long-time division rival is no longer a real threat to crack the postseason. They accepted this fate at the trade deadline, when they moved a couple of veteran pieces. However, there is no question that they will take this matchup at Wrigley Field seriously, especially knowing they can hurt the Cubs' chance of climbing the ranks.

Thanks to some continued stellar play over the last couple of weeks, the Cubs have been able to shrink the Brewers' division lead to just 4.0 games. As they now get to face a middling Cardinals squad, the Brewers will fight to maintain their lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the road.

The tough times will not stop there for Milwaukee either. Following this series will be a matchup with a frisky Mariners team before inviting the Atlanta Braves into American Family Field. Chicago's schedule will ramp up in its own right with the White Sox at Wrigley and their own meeting with the Mariners. Still, there is no question that this looks like an easier stretch for the Cubbies.

So, who will be on the mound as they hope for another series sweep that can help them close the gap?

Game 1 – Clay Holmes vs. Matthew Liberatore

Aug 8, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Clay Holmes (25) looks into home plate before throwing a pitch in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No drastic changes to the pitching rotation yet for Chicago, as they are on the brink of welcoming back Edward Cabrera after a stellar rehab assignment. Clay Holmes will make his second start as a member of the Cubs and his first at Wrigley Field on Friday afternoon.

All things considered, it's easy to shake off Holmes' first outing, which saw him give up six hits and 4 earned runs over 4.0 innings of work. The former Mets stud had not pitched since May 15 due to his fractured fibula. Not to mention, this is still a situation that should bode very well for the key trade deadline acquisition thanks to his heavy ground-ball production.

As for Matthew Liberatore, the Cubs have faced him three times already this season. While they went scoreless in their first meeting in May, they have managed to put up 3 earned runs on him in each of the last two outings. Liberatore is also coming off a 5-run outing against the Rockies, which bumped his ERA back over 5.00.

Game 2 – Matthew Boyd vs. Michael McGreevy

Aug 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) pitches during the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Matthew Boyd has been downright excellent in his last seven starts, combining for a 2.35 ERA with 29 strikeouts and a 1.09 WHIP. In his last outing against the Royals, Boyd was able to go 7.0 innings and allowed only 2 earned runs. However, he did fork over a trio of walks.

Regardless, when Boyd has been on the mound lately, the Cubs have consistently been put in a position to win. And this should be the case again while facing off against Michael McGreevy.

Overall, the Cardinals' righty has put together a solid season, but the last seven games have been rough. He has a 4.91 ERA over that span and has been allowing plenty of power. Depending on how the conditions are tomorrow at the Friendly Confines, the Cubs should have a chance to hit some balls deep.

Game 3 – Shota Imanaga vs. Hunter Dobbins

Aug 11, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Shota Imanaga finally came back down to earth a little against one of the best offenses in baseball. The Nationals took him deep three times for 4 earned runs, making that six homers given up in Imanaga's last three starts.

With that said, Imanaga only allowed two hits that didn't leave the yard and still managed to strike out five. He should be able to lock back in, though it's worth mentioning that the Cards did give him some trouble earlier this season with their own three-homer night.

As for Hunter Dobbins, he has been rock solid with a 3.40 ERA. Un-hittable? No, but he is decent at inducing weak contact and limiting damage. This might be the Cardinals' best chance to steal a game at Wrigley.

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