Cubs vs. Yankees Lineup: Seiya Suzuki Sitting? Pedro Ramirez Jumps Up, More

The Yankees visit Wrigley Field for a three-game series beginning Friday.

Jul 26, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki (27) circles the bases on a two-run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Two baseball giants will meet at The Friendly Confines this weekend. 

The Chicago Cubs host the New York Yankees beginning Friday, and it’s certain to produce some big moments. 

The Cubs are red-hot -- they capped off a 5-2 road trip by taking three of four from the St. Louis Cardinals, and they own the National League’s best record since July 1 (14-9). They sit 5.5 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers entering play Friday. 

New York is fresh off a series loss to the Cubs’ South Side rivals. But despite two straight losses, the Yankees are 6-4 in their last 10 games and are 3.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.

Game Info

Who: New York Yankees (61-48) vs. Chicago Cubs (62-47)
Where: Wrigley Field
When: 1:20 p.m. CT
Watch: Marquee Sports Network
Listen: 104.3 The Score, TUDN, WPPN 106.7 / TUDN

Chicago Cubs Lineup

1. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
2. Pedro Ramirez, 3B
3. Michael Busch, 1B
4. Alex Bregman, DH
5. Ian Happ, LF
6. Nico Hoerner, 2B
7. Michael Conforto, RF
8. Dansby Swanson, SS
9. Miguel Amaya, C

As the Cubs continue a stretch of 17 games in 17 days, Craig Counsell has staggered off days for some of his stars. Both Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner got rest earlier in the week, and this time it’s Seiya Suzuki’s turn to take a breather. 

With that said, the move is undoubtedly going to lead to some eyeball emojis from fans. With the trade deadline creeping closer, Suzuki has come up as a potential target for teams due to his looming free agency. Moving off the power hitter would feel pretty counterintuitive for the Cubs, however. They are all-in on making a run, and it sure feels like Suzuki's bat would be very important come playoff time.

Nevertheless, Suzuki's absence moves Pedro Ramirez up to the two-hole, and it’s a chance for him to really show what he can do. The 22-year-old hasn’t wavered in his impressive first MLB stint, slashing .311/.364/.456 (.820 OPS) in his first 100 plate appearances. 

Alex Bregman is in the cleanup spot after going 10-for-18 with seven extra-base hits in St. Louis. Nico Hoerner will also look to continue his hot streak as he leads MLB in hits (23) since the All-Star break. 

New York Yankees Lineup

1. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
2. Ben Rice, DH
3. Amed Rosario, 3B
4. Jasson Dominguez, RF
5. Trent Grisham, CF
6. Anthony Volpe, SS
7. Spencer Jones, LF
8. Ali Sanchez, C
9. José Caballero, 2B

The Yankees are playing a bit of who’s who with this lineup, and that’s because the team currently has three stars on the IL in Aaron Judge (rib fracture), Giancarlo Stanton (right calf strain) and Cody Bellinger (left hamstring strain). Judge has not played since May 31, while Stanton has been out since April 24. 

That has left Ben Rice to shoulder the team’s offensive production, and he has 31 home runs with a .931 OPS this season. However, he’s just 5 for his last 29 (.172) and went 1-for-12 in the series against the White Sox.

On The Mound…

Jul 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) delivers the ball during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chicago Cubs - Shota Imanaga, LHP 

Shota Imanaga is surging at the perfect time for the Cubs. 

The 32-year-old southpaw has allowed just 10 earned runs over his last seven starts (2.25 ERA) and his season ERA sits at 3.72 with a 1.10 WHIP in 121 innings. 

Part of that has come courtesy of Imanaga limiting his Achilles' heel in the home run ball. He hasn’t allowed one in each of his last two starts and has given up just four total in his last 34.1 innings. 

The Yankees are a home-run-hitting ball club -- their 153 are second-most in MLB -- but the wind will not be blowing out on Friday at Wrigley, and that could be a huge help for Imanaga.

New York Yankees - Will Warren, RHP

Right-hander Will Warren has struggled over his last seven appearances, posting a 6.75 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 29 innings of work. He has a 4.41 ERA and 1.41 WHIP over 102 total innings in 2026.

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