The Chicago Cubs will finally be back on the field Monday afternoon, taking on the San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium for their Cactus League opener.
The Cubs, who were swept by the Miami Marlins in the National League Wild Card Round last fall, will look to defend their Central Division crown this season, and they’ll have their ace on the hill as they start out their spring training slate.
Kyle Hendricks, coming off a top-ten finish in NL Cy Young Award voting, will take the ball for the Cubs against the Padres, potentially setting him up for another Opening Day start later this spring.
The Cubs will also have several lineup regulars in the mix Monday, including Anthony Rizzo, who will lead off and play first base for the squad. Willson Contreras will bat second, and new acquisition Joc Pederson will bat third and play left field for the Cubs.
Here is the team’s full lineup:
1 Anthony Rizzo – 1B
2 Willson Contreras – C
Chicago Baseball
3 Joc Pederson – LF
4 Javier Báez – SS
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5 Cameron Maybin – RF
6 David Bote – 2B
7 Ildemaro Vargas – 3B
8 Ian Miller – CF
9 PJ Higgins – DH
Shelby and Tyson Miller are both tentatively scheduled to pitch for the Cubs in the game, according to MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. Rex Brothers, Joe Biagini, Brendon Little and Trevor Megill also are making the trip to Peoria for the game.
First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 p.m.