Joe Maddon posted his lineup for Friday night’s opener against the Giants. And both Jorge Soler and Javier Baez are starting behind Jake Arrieta.
Maddon is going against the splits again and decided to use a balanced lineup against Jake Peavy. Javier Baez is starting at shortstop tonight with Jorge Soler in left field and Kris Bryant at third base.
Cubs batting order: Dexter Fowler CF, Jason Heyward RF, Kris Bryant 3B, Anthony Rizzo 1B, Ben Zobrist 2B, Jorge Soler LF, Miguel Montero C, Javier Baez SS, Jake Arrieta P
Maddon will have Addison Russell, David Ross, Tim Federowicz and Tommy La Stella on the bench to begin the game.
Baez is 1-for-3 against Peavy and Soler has a single in two at bats.
Jake Peavy has struggled this season but no matter how poorly he has pitched before facing the Cubs, he has stepped up and shut down the team he was almost traded to seven years ago. Peavy was 1-1 in two starts versus the Cubs a year ago with a 3.18 ERA and 1.32 WHIP (four runs on 10 hits with fiv walks and nine strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings).
Right-handers have put together a .288/.342/.567 line against Peavy with a .909 OPS and left-handers have managed a .379/.438/.667 line with a 1.105.