First pitch is 1:20 PM CT at Wrigley, and the pitching matchup is a real one. Landen Roupp (5-6, 4.22) gets the ball for San Francisco after a back issue scratched his usual turn, while Ben Brown brings a 1.92 ERA into a start the Cubs desperately need to look like one of his other ones.
Brown has quietly been the best pitcher on the Cubs all year — 1.73 ERA across his five starts, last time out a six-inning, seven-strikeout no-decision against the Pirates. The Sun-Times floated him as Chicago's most obvious All-Star case this week. If there's a guy you want on the mound the day after getting hung 18 on, it's him.
About that 18. Matt Chapman hit a grand slam AND a three-run shot, Willy Adames and Casey Schmitt each went deep twice, and the Giants set a franchise record with 7 homers at Wrigley. Edward Cabrera coughed up 8 before getting yanked in the 3rd. That dropped the Cubs to 19 losses in their last 25 games, which is the kind of stretch that gets the talk radio guys warmed up.
Roupp is the wobble in San Francisco's plan. The back held up enough for a bullpen Thursday, but his last start — June 1 in Milwaukee — was 4 innings, 8 earned, 5 walks. Not exactly the form you ride into a road start at Wrigley, even one against a lineup that just scored 3 runs.
- Day-To-DayLanden Roupp SP — Roupp (back) threw a bullpen session Thursday and is on track to make his next scheduled start Saturday against the Cubs, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
- 10-Day-ILHeliot Ramos LF — Ramos (quadriceps) will begin a hitting progression at the Giants' spring training complex in Arizona on Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
- 10-Day-ILHarrison Bader CF — Bader isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Colorado, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
- 15-Day-ILMatt Gage RP — The Giants placed Gage on the 15-day injured list with knee inflammation Wednesday, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- 15-Day-ILTyler Mahle SP — The Giants placed Mahle on the 15-day injured list Friday, retroactive to Wednesday, due to a left hamstring strain, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
- 60-Day-ILJoel Peguero RP — The Giants placed Peguero on the 60-day injured list Monday due to a left hamstring strain, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
- 60-Day-ILJared Oliva CF — Oliva (wrist) started at designated hitter and went 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, a double, an RBI and a run scored in Triple-A Sacramento's 6-4 loss to Reno on Saturday.
- 60-Day-ILReiver Sanmartin RP — Sanmartin (hip) tossed a scoreless inning in Triple-A Sacramento's 11-6 win over Sugar Land on Tuesday.
- Day-To-DayBrandon Birdsell RP — Birdsell (elbow) will miss the entire 2026 season, Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline reports.
- Day-To-DayJeff Brigham RP — Brigham was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A St. Paul, retroactive to April 6, with a left oblique strain, TwinsDaily.com reports.
- Day-To-DayJaxon Wiggins SP — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Wiggins was placed on Triple-A Iowa's 7-day injured list Wednesday due to right elbow inflammation, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
- 10-Day-ILMatt Shaw RF — Shaw (back) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, going hitless in three plate appearances.
- 15-Day-ILMatthew Boyd SP — Boyd (knee) will make a rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
- 15-Day-ILRiley Martin RP — Martin has been diagnosed with flexor strain in his left elbow and is expected to miss eight weeks, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
- 60-Day-ILHunter Harvey RP — The Cubs moved Harvey (triceps) from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL on Sunday.
- 60-Day-ILJustin Steele SP — Manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday that Steele's (elbow) setback will keep him sidelined until after the All-Star break, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Pinnacle has the Cubs at -142 with a total of 10.5, which feels like the market splitting the difference between the pitcher on the mound (Brown is an under) and the lineup that just dropped a crooked number in every box on the scoreboard (Giants are an over). The Cubs are a half-game over .500 and the Giants are 12 under, so even a split here keeps the standings story exactly where it was.
Series price aside, this is a spot game. If Brown does Brown things, the Cubs steady the ship and we forget Friday happened. If Roupp's back is fine and the Giants offense is actually this — they've scored 64 runs in 8 road games on this trip — Chicago is staring down a sweep and a long flight to wherever's next.