The Cubs begin a three-game series in Philadelphia on Monday night. Jon Lester gets the ball against lefty Adam Morgan. And Anthony Rizzo is back at first base and Jason Heyward is in right field.
Joe Maddon is giving Ben Zobrist another breather tonight and has Javier Baez at second base. Baez has been starting at third in games Lester is on the hill. But not for the start of a nine-game road trip.
David Ross is behind the plate.
Cubs batting order: Dexter Fowler CF, Jason Heyward RF, Kris Bryant 3B, Anthony Rizzo 1B, Jorge Soler LF, Javier Baez 2B, Addison Russell SS, David Ross C, Jon Lester P
Maddon will begin the game with Zobrist, Matt Szczur, Tommy La Stella, Miguel Montero and Tim Federowicz on the bench.
Maddon’s starting lineup does include the three Cubs (Soler, Ross, Bryant) that took Morgan deep at Wrigley on May 27.
Adam Morgan has struggled against both sides this season and especially at Citizens Bank Park.
Right-handers have a .918 OPS against him with 17 extra base hits (10 doubles, a triple, six home runs), almost half of the 36 hits Morgan has allowed to right-handed batters have been for extra bases. Righties have a .308/.354/.564 line while left-handers have batted .267/.333/.433 with a .767 OPS.
In his home park this year, Morgan is 0-3 with a 7.84 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in four starts … 18 runs, 26 hits, six walks, 15 strikeouts and four home runs allowed in 20 2/3 innings.