Chris Coghlan starting in left field … Willson Contreras behind the plate
The Cubs look to start another winning streak Sunday night (7:08pm CDT) in the finale with the Cardinals. John Lackey faces veteran right-hander Mike Leake and Joe Maddon is starting Chris Coghlan, as expected, in left field. Willson Contreras is catching Lackey in the last of four with the Redbirds.
Maddon is using a majority of his regular lineup. Jason Heyward was pushed down a spot in favor of Coghlan hitting sixth behind Addison Russell. Ben Zobrist and Kris Bryant are at second and third with Anthony Rizzo at first base.
Cubs batting order: Dexter Fowler CF, Kris Bryant 3B, Anthony Rizzo 1B, Ben Zobrist 2B, Addison Russell SS, Chris Coghlan LF, Jason Heyward RF, Willson Contreras C, John Lackey P
Chris Coghlan was expected to start in left field tonight. Coghlan’s numbers against Mike Leake cannot be ignored. Coghlan is 10-for-16 with three doubles and two home runs against the former Reds’ starter.
Right-handers have hit .295/.318/.443 with a .760 OPS and 30 extra basehits (22 doubles, one triple, seven home runs). Left-handers have a .762 OPS with 24 extra basehits (11 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs) while batting .267/.308/.453.
Anthony Rizzo (10-for-32, two doubles, two home runs, three walks) and Dexter Fowler (5-for-18, two doubles, one home run) also have had a lot of success against Leake while Jason Heyward (1-for-18) has not.
Joe Maddon will begin Sunday’s game with a bench of Matt Szczur, Javier Baez, Jorge Soler, Miguel Montero and David Ross.