In a continuation of the most heated rivalry in the NL Central, the St. Louis Cardinals visit Chicago to take a shot at the Cubs on Sunday Night Baseball. Chicago has undergone a complete makeover from the 2014 season, or at least the spring part of last year.
The Opening Night Rivalry
Game times
Sunday 4/5 @ 7:05pm CT
Tuesday 4/7 @ 7:05pm CT
Wednesday 4/8 @ 1:20pm CT
With engaging prospects filling the lineup, Cubs fans around the nation are saying this is the year, and not in a sarcastic tone.
| Cubs Projected Lineup | |||
| Lineup | Player | Pos. | |
| 1 | Dexter Fowler | CF | |
| 2 | Jorge Soler | RF | |
| 3 | Anthony Rizzo | 1B | |
| 4 | Starlin Castro | SS | |
| 5 | Miguel Montero | CF | |
| 6 | Mike Olt | 3B | |
| 7 | Chris Coughlan | LF | |
| 8 | Pitcher | P | |
| 9 | Arismendy Alcantara | 2B | |
The Cubs will have an interesting mix of prospects and veterans in their lineup, which includes Dexter Fowler leading off. Fowler hit .276 last year on his way to one of the best seasons of his career. Top prospect Jorge Soler lines up next, and he too has considerable ability at the plate. Rizzo will hit third, followed by Starlin Castro in the cleanup position. If one were to bet whether the Cubs will get a hit in the first inning, “yes” would be a safe answer to bet one. Lesser-known names round out the lineup, but, again, these players are still capable of big production, particularly Chris Coughlan, who is coming off his best season since his rookie year.
| Cardinals Projected Lineup | |||
| Lineup | Player | Pos. | |
| 1 | Matt Carpenter | 3B | |
| 2 | Jason Heyward | RF | |
| 3 | Matt Holliday | LF | |
| 4 | Matt Adams | 1B | |
| 5 | Yadier Molina | CF | |
| 6 | Jhonny Peralta | SS | |
| 7 | Jon Jay | CF | |
| 8 | Kolten Wong | 2B | |
| 9 | Pitcher | P | |
Whether the Cards move Heyward to first or keep him at second in the lineup, Chicago can’t overlook baseball’s former best-in-the-leaguer. The Cardinals, much like the Cubs, will keep fans on their feet thanks to the top half of the lineup, as their big names fill the top five. Hitting in the eighth spot is Kolten Wong; when given the right pitch, Wong can turn that easy double into a triple.
Pitching Matchups
Sunday – Adam Wainwright (STL) vs. John Lester (CHC)
A pitcher with World Series ring has landed himself on the Cubs staff this season, something not often seen. Lester is expected to be on a pitch count for Sunday’s game, which could create an opportunity for starter-turned-reliever Edwin Jackson to get in the game.
Tuesday – Lance Lynn (STL) vs. Jake Arrieta (CHC)
Lance Lynn brings 48 wins since joining the Cardinals rotation in 2012. That’s 4th best in the MLB, and one of the top three in that statistic is Opening Night starter Adam Wainwright. Chicago will counter with Jake Arrieta. The ace pitched to the tune of a 2.53 ERA last year after coming off an injury, including three games where he maintained a no hitter to at least the sixth inning.
Wednesday – John Lackey (STL) vs. Jason Hammel (CHC)
John Lackey appears to be trending downward while Jason Hammel is trending up. Lackey only pitched ten games last season and could not make the most of the opportunities he had. However, Hammel is returning to the Cubs and to Maddon, as he started his career under Maddon in Tampa Bay.
Players to watch
Cubs – Joe Maddon: The iconic coach brings Cubs fans their first known, recognized, and believed-in GM since Lou Pinella, who took the team to the playoffs. Joe Maddon, teaming with Theo Epstein, has a chance to take the ‘un’ out of unbelievable.
Cardinals – Jason Heyward: Although some think Heyward doesn’t have it anymore, don’t be surprised if the former Phillies star does big things in this opening series.
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
