Chicago Cubs Lineup (9/7/25): Hoerner Leads Off, Santana at 1B, Alcántara in CF, Bullpen Game
What’s better than a bullpen game? Well, a lot of things, but Craig Counsell is opting to use Drew Pomeranz as an opener in this one. This will be the lefty’s fourth “start” of the season, the first three of which have lasted an inning or less, and he figures to give way to Colin Rea and/or Aaron Civale. This would have been Rea’s normal start day, so he should be good for four innings at the very least.
That’s all he was able to give the Cubs in his last start, and he’s had a tough time missing bats of late. Though he’s never been a big strikeout guy, Rea’s 17.0% K-rate is the lowest of his career — outside of a 16.1% across 14 innings with the Cubs in 2020 — and his walks are up a little as well. This Nats offense isn’t very dangerous, making a bullpen game a little more palatable.
What’s not palatable in the least is the Cubs scoring just one run yet again. That’s the second time in three games that they couldn’t muster a crooked number, and they had seven such games in August. It doesn’t help that their outfielders are dropping like flies, and occasionally dropping flies as well. Neither Kyle Tucker nor Pete Crow-Armstrong is in the lineup today, which is a bit worrisome.
“I’m no use really out there if I’m not moving the way I should be,” PCA told reporters after leaving Saturday’s game due to fouling a ball off his knee. “It was a good stinger for sure.”
Tucker hasn’t played since leaving last Wednesday’s game with calf tightness, making this his fourth straight game on the bench. The Cubs head to Atlanta for three after this, so he’d better be either available or on the IL by then. This playing shorthanded business is getting old.
As for those who are available, it’ll be Nico Hoerner leading off at second base, Ian Happ in left, and Seiya Suzuki in right. Carson Kelly cleans up behind the plate, Carlos Santana makes his first Cubs start at first base, and Dansby Swanson is at short. Justin Turner serves as the DH, Matt Shaw is at third, and Kevin Alcántara handles center.
Going for Washington is rookie lefty Andrew Alvarez, who is making the second start of his career after tossing five shutout innings against the Marlins. He only allowed one hit, but that came as the result of a lot of good luck. A traditional crafty lefty, the 26-year-old has a 92 mph four-seam that serves almost as a secondary to his 83 mph slider. That breaking ball functions almost like a curve, getting more depth and less cut due to a higher arm slot.
The fastball is a little cutty, giving Alvarez good differentiation between the pitches that make up 60% of his repertoire. Or at least that was the case in his first start, so we could see a decidedly different mix based on the matchup. He does have an actual curve that has nearly the same velocity as the slider, just with more depth and sweep. His mix also includes a sinker and change, though neither got much use against the Marlins.
It’s hard to say how his splits will play since he only faced three left-handed batters — two individual hitters for three at-bats — in his debut. He did pitch to standard splits at Triple-A this season, but the opposite was true last year. He was closer to even in 2023, for what it’s worth.
This is yet another game in a string of them that favors the Cubs on paper, but we saw yesterday that they can lay an egg against a dude who looks meh as all get out. That’s been the case far too often this season, with otherwise mediocre pitchers absolutely carving them to shreds. Maybe they can come out hot this afternoon and put those worries to bed quickly.
First pitch is at 1:20pm CT on Marquee and 670 The Score.
One more against Washington.
Watch today’s game on the Marquee Sports Network App. pic.twitter.com/Hgpz5uxR4r
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 7, 2025
