The Chicago Cubs got a strong bounce-back showing from Shota Imanaga on Friday against the Miami Marlins . The struggling southpaw threw 6.0 innings of three-hit ball, allowing only a single earned run in the process.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what the Cubs plan is for him and the rest of the rotation moving forward. Before this afternoon's game in Miami, Chicago officially called up Javier Assad and announced him as their starting arm. Is this just a one-off showing, or could we see Assad take someone's spot in their upcoming Brewers series?
Who: Chicago Cubs (80-62) vs. Miami Marlins (71-71)
Where: loanDepot Park
When: 3:10 PM CT
Watch: Marquee Sports Network
Listen: 104.3 The Score
1. Pete Crow-Armstrong
, CF
2. Seiya Suzuki
, RF
3. Michael Busch
, 1B
4. Alex Bregman
, 3B
5. Ian Happ
, LF
6. Nico Hoerner
, SS
7. Pedro Ramrez, 2B
8. Michael Conforto
, DH
9. Miguel Amaya
, C
Once again, the Cubs are going with a very familiar look for their second meeting in South Beach. The only change against the Marlins' righty will be at catcher, where Miguel Amaya will give Carson Kelly a day off.
The top of the Cubs' order continued to fire on all cylinders in the opener. Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch both came around the bases twice, with Busch hitting his 18th homer of the season. Alex Bregman also recorded two hits to bump his batting average well over .400 for the last seven games.
Who really stood out, however, was Nico Hoerner. The infielder finished the Milwaukee series with only one hit, so it was encouraging to see him knock his way on base three times. He was looking a lot more like his former self to end August, and we all know the Cubs' offense is a whole lot better when he's making consistent contact.
1. Kyle Stowers
, DH
2. Heriberto Hernndez, LF
3. Griffin Conine
, 1B
4. Otto Lopez
, SS
5. Jakob Marsee
, CF
6. Owen Caissie
, RF
7. Joe Mack, C
8. Graham Pauley
, 3B
9. Javier Sanoja
, 2B
Aug 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Javier Assad (72) on the mound during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
When Javier Assad was sent back to Triple-A Iowa, Craig Counsell essentially admitted that he didn't deserve it. Assad has been cooking in the bigs this season both as a starter and a relief arm. Nevertheless, with a roster jam after the deadline, the Cubs have been forced to shuffle some pieces around.
Plus, by moving Assad to Iowa, the 29-year-old has been able to stay stretched out for opportunities like today. The Cubs have called him back up for an immediate start, where Assad will look to further shrink his 3.46 ERA. His last start came against the Dodgers on August 4, where he was excellent in 5.2 innings with only a single earned run allowed.
Assad proceeded to throw 8.0 innings in three more August games out of the bullpen, only allowing two more earned runs and four total hits. If Assad looks just as comfortable this afternoon, the Cubs will have to seriously consider keeping him in the mix for next week's meeting with their NL Central rival.
Ryan Gusto will take the mound for the Marlins this afternoon with a 3.86 ERA. While the versatile thrower hasn't been asked to do much this year, he's been solid in his limited work. This includes limiting his opponent to 2 earned runs or fewer in each of his last six starts.
Gusto isn't going to walk many guys, and he can get batters to chase with a changeup against lefties and a sinker against righties. Gusto's four-seamer also sits in the mid-90s. With that said, the Cubs could be in a good position to get on him early. Gusto allows a fair share of hard contact, and we all know this Cubs squad has a knack for hitting balls out of the park.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/cubs/onsi as Cubs vs. Marlins Lineup: Javier Assad is Back, Miguel Amaya Behind the Plate, More .
