Joe Maddon shakes up batting order … Jason Heyward leading off … Kyle Hendricks hitting eighth … Kris Bryant at first base for Anthony Rizzo
With Anthony Rizzo out of the lineup for the second straight game and Dexter Fowler on the DL, Joe Maddon made wholesale changes to his batting order for the second game in Miami.
For the first time this season, Maddon has his starting pitcher batting eighth. Jason Heyward is leading off with Kris Bryant behind him in the two-hole. Willson Contreras is hitting cleanup and Albert Almora Jr. is batting ninth.
Those that wanted Heyward out of the two-hole got their wish. Heyward is batting leadoff for the first time this season.
Cubs batting order: Jason Heyward RF, Kris Bryant 1B, Ben Zobrist 2B, Willson Contreras C, Chris Coghlan LF, Javier Baez 3B, Addison Russell SS, Kyle Hendricks P, Albert Almora Jr. CF
Maddon will begin the game with Matt Szczur, David Ross and Miguel Montero on the bench. Anthony Rizzo’s availability is unknown for tonight’s game.
The Cubs lineup plays right into Tom Koehler’s hands. The Marlins’ right-hander has a lot of success against righties, not so much against lefties.
Left-handers have a .838 OPS against Tom Koehler this season with a .291/.399/.439 slash line. Lefties have hit 16 doubles and two home runs off the right-hander. Koehler has limited righties to a .206/.300/.277 line (four doubles, two home runs) with a .577 OPS.