Cubs vs. Tigers Lineup: Alcantara Takes the Field, A Change at Clean Up, More

The Chicago Cubs need to come in with a chip on their shoulder.

After Jameson Taillon picked up where he left off and got the Cubs in a quick 4-0 hole, they did an impressive job of working their way back into the game. However, after tying things up and getting runners in scoring position in extras, they fell flat on their face. It was an ugly loss against a Tigers team that is fighting for their playoff life.

Chicago's job now is to shake off the stink and avoid a series loss. Can they pull that off? It could be a lot easier said than done with David Peterson on the mound, who has been up and down since joining the Cubs.

Game Info

Who: Detroit Tigers (47-53) at Chicago Cubs (56-44)
Where: Wrigley Field
When: 7:05 PM CT
Watch: Marquee Sports Network
Listen: 104.3 The Score, Univision TUDN, WPPN 106.7 / TUDN

Chicago Cubs Lineup

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

The Cubs are shaking things up with a lefty on the mound. Craig Counsell is throwing even more power at the top of the order, moving Alex Bregman back into the three-hole and having Carson Kelly hit clean-up. It will mark only the 10th time this season that Kelly will sit fourth in the lineup.

Meanwhile, Nico Hoerner will remain sixth as his hot second half continues. He had another multi-hit day on Monday, meaning he now has ten hits over the last four games. It will be interesting to see if Counsell decides to move him back up soon, but the manager may not want to risk messing with the production after such a rough slump.

Kevin Alcantara will also make a rare start and appear in right field for only the second time this season. He's struggled in his limited action, but this will be another good opportunity for him to finally show off his power swing. The youngster is still looking for his first major league home run.

The decision not to go with Pedro Ramírez for a fourth-straight game will undoubtedly rub some Cubs fans the wrong way. He has five hits in his last three outings, as well as four RBIs. It's also not as if he's been completely lost against lefties. The rookie has only stacked 12 at-bats against southpaws but has three hits and three RBIs.

Detroit Tigers Lineup

1. Gleyber Torres, 2B
2. Kevin McGonigle, SS
3. Hao-Yu Lee, 3B
4. Dillon Dingler, C
5. Riley Greene, LF
6. Spencer Torkelson, 1B
7. Matt Vierling, CF
8. Ben Malgeri, RF
9. Jake Rogers, C

The Detroit Tigers will bring in several new faces with David Peterson on the mound. Their 7-9 in the order are completely different from the opener, while Hao-Yu Lee will also enter the mix and hit third. He has hit .282 against lefties this season with a .762 OPS.

On the Mound ...

Jul 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher David Peterson (19) throws the ball against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chicago Cubs – David Peterson, LHP

The David Peterson acquisition has left something to be desired. The former Mets starter has an 8.16 ERA over his first three starts. This included being lit up for 10 earned runs in his outing against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The good news, however, is that he is coming off a very productive outing against the Orioles. He only allowed two hits and a single earned run over 5.0 innings of work. Now, he did walk four batters, which is a concern. But the fact that he was able to limit the damage is potentially a good sign for the Cubs.

And, hey, he can't have as bad of a first inning as Jamo, right!? RIGHT!?

Detroit Tigers – Framber Valdez, LHP

Framber Valdez has put together a decent 2026. While he hasn't been nearly as sharp as in the last two seasons, the lefty is still keeping the ball down at an elite rate. His 53.0 percent ground ball rate ranks inside the 91st percentile, per Baseball Savant.

Valdez leans heavily on his sinker, especially against fellow lefties. However, the Cubs can also expect to see him sprinkle in both his curveball and change-up pretty regularly. The curve can be especially devastating, clocking in at 78.6 mph as a great putaway pitch.

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