Cubs vs. Athletics Lineup: Another Lefty, More Alcantara, Taillon Has to Be Better

The Chicago Cubs return to Wrigley Field still searching for a series win. They haven't pulled one off since May 7, when they took down the Cincinnati Reds to win their ninth-straight ballgame.

For what it's worth, tonight's matchup with the A's starts a relatively favorable part of the Cubs' schedule. Each of their next five opponents currently sits under the .500 threshold. They will even get a chance to face the 23-win Giants and Rockies a total of 12 times over the next 15 games.

Time to take advantage!

Game Info

Who: Athletics (28-31) at Cubs (32-28)
Where: Wrigley Field
When: 7:05 PM CT
Watch: Marquee Sports Network
Listen: 104.3 The Score

Chicago Cubs Lineup

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

With a lefty on the opposing mound again, Craig Counsell is going with the same lineup from Sunday's series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs only mustered one run in that loss, but there is reason to believe they can find more success tonight against a struggling Gage Jump.

Also, look out for a similar change at the DH spot when the Athletics go with a righty out of the bullpen. Counsell countered with Michael Conforto for Alcantara, who did go on to record a hit.

I'll have my eye on the middle of the order. Both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki found some life over the last week, but both also came up empty in this weekend's closer against the Cardinals. Each player went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. One can only hope this isn't the start of another cold stretch for two of the better power hitters on this roster. The Cubs need them to make contact.

Athletics Lineup

1. Carlos Cortes, RF
2. Nick Krutz, 1B
3. Shea Langeliers, C
4. Tyler Soderstrom, LF
5. Brent Rooker, DH
6. Henry Bolte, CF
7. Jeff McNeil, 2B
8. Zach Gelof, 3B
9. Darrell Hernaiz, SS

The Athletics are 3-7 in their last ten games and are fresh off giving up 25 runs over a three-game series to the New York Yankees. With that said, they do find their way on base pretty consistently with a .724 OPS, which sits ninth-highest in baseball. Led by Nick Krutz, this is a lineup that is relatively patient on the plate and draws its fair share of walks.

On the Mound ...

May 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon (50) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Cubs – Jameson Taillon, RHP

Jameson Taillon has been a borderline liability for the Cubs over the last couple of weeks. He's given up 4 earned runs in each of his last three starts, as well as a combined eight home runs. His 19 total home runs on the year lead the majors.

The good news for the Cubs is that the Athletics aren't a threat to send many balls deep. Taillon has also been good at keeping his pitches in the zone and limiting walks. Still, he is giving opponents some very easy balls to hit, so much so that it hasn't seemed to matter which lineup he's facing. The Cubs can only hope that changes tonight.

Athletics – Gage Jump, LHP

The 23-year-old Gage Jump will be making his second start of his MLB career tonight. In his first outing against the Mariners, the lefty gave up 4 earned runs and 9 hits in 5.0 innings. He also saw 58 of his 88 pitches go down as strikes.

Should the youngster be a little more comfortable tonight? Sure, but that still isn't an excuse for this Cubs lineup not to jump all over him (pun intended). Jump has a tendency to lose his command and can walk a fair share of batters. At the same time, he had a solid 1.30 GO/AO ratio in the minors, so don't be surprised if the Cubs hit a lot of balls on the ground tonight.

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