The Cardinals make their first trip to Wrigley Field of the season and begin a three-game series Friday against the Cubs. First pitch is set for 1:20 p.m.
Right-hander Kyle Gibson (4-2, 3.76) will take the mound for the Cardinals.
Gibson has allowed more than three earned runs just once in his past eight starts.
He's deploying his changeup about half as much as he did last season, and batters are hitting it for a .143 average, about half what they did last season.
Gibson has faced the Cubs four times in his career, losing all four. He has yet to face Chicago since joining the Cardinals.
The Cubs will counter with left-hander Jordan Wicks (1-2, 4.44), who will make his first appearance vs. the Cardinals.
Wicks missed all of May with a forearm strain and was limited to 52 pitches in his only outing since returning, Saturday at Cincinnati.
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A first-round draft pick in 2021, his changeup is Wicks' best pitch.
Wicks is the first of two straight lefties the Cubs will start in this series vs. ºüÀêÊÓƵ, one of MLB's worst teams against left-handers.
The Cardinals' Nolan Arenado, who was hit on the hand by a pitch Thursday, returned to the lineup Friday and bats fourth.
The Cardinals are 33-34, second in the NL Central but closer to last than first at 6 1/2 games out. With the exception of division-leading Milwaukee, the other four teams in the division are bunched together with records not far under .500.
ºüÀêÊÓƵ has the fourth-best team ERA in the National League in the month of June.
The Cubs are 33-36 and with the exception of a two-game sweep vs. the woeful White Sox, haven't won a series since May 10-12.
The Cardinals claimed the teams' only previous meetings this year, both at Busch Stadium.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Masyn Winn, SS
2. Alec Burleson, RF
3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Nolan Gorman, 2B
6. Iván Herrera, DH
7. Dylan Carlson, CF
8. Brendan Donovan, LF
9. Pedro Pagés, C
P: Kyle Gibson, RHP
CUBS
1. Mike Tauchman, CF
2. Christopher Morel, 3B
3. Cody Bellinger, DH
4. Seiya Suzuki, RF
5. Ian Happ, LF
6. Nico Hoerner, 2B
7. Michael Busch, 1B
8. Dansby Swanson, SS
9. Miguel Amaya, C
P: Jordan Wicks, LHP
Injury report
Lars Nootbaar (oblique strain):ÌýOutfielder has started torso movements and could be cleared to swing a bat by this weekend, while the team is at Wrigley Field. He has responded well to increased movements of his core muscles and tests of the area injured. Manager Oliver Marmol called the strain "moderate," but the Cardinals are braced for Nootbaar to miss several weeks. It is the second time this season that he is on the injured list and the latest injury comes a few days after the Cardinals proactively gave Nootbaar time off to avoid a hamstring injury.ÌýUpdated June 13Ìý
Giovanny Gallegos (right shoulder impingement): Right-handed reliever will throw an inning Friday for Class AA Springfield as his rehab assignment continues. Gallegos responded well to throwing more than an inning, and with the Cardinals' input opted not to throw back-to-back days before returning the majors. His final tuneup could be Friday. According to the Cardinals' internal numbers, Gallegos velocity was back to his pre-injury level.ÌýUpdated June 13
Willson Contreras (fractured arm):ÌýCatcher took batting practice Thursday against a coach in the batting cage adjacent to the clubhouse. It was his most aggressive work yet with a bat since fracturing his arm. He's been able to catch bullpen sessions without soreness and he'll advance in the cage and into more aggressive BP depending on how he feels each day. Contreras will stay in ºüÀêÊÓƵ to work at the ballpark while the team is on the road, and he's eying a rehab assignment that could begin around June 18. Contreras is eager to push the timetable for his return, he said.ÌýUpdated June 13
Tommy Edman (wrist surgery):ÌýSwitch-hitter is taking batting practice from both sides of the plate, and he participated batting practice on the field with teammates for the first time Tuesday. Edman's workout is similar to how his teammates prepare for games with coach-pitch batting practice, and he will advance from these workouts to pitching machine and higher velocities. Internally, the Cardinals are expecting the return of their center fielder around the All-Star break. John Mozeliak, the team's president of baseball operations, told attendees of the Cardinals' annual "Blogger Day" that Edman is expected to return before the end of this month.ÌýUpdated June 13
Steven Matz (lower back stiffness):ÌýThe lefty will start Sunday for Class AA Springfield and aim for around 50 pitches. This is a significant moment in his rehab. Depending on how he recovers from this start, he'll either repeat that target number or advance deeper into the game where effectiveness also becomes part of the factor determining his return date.ÌýUpdated June 13
Keynan Middleton (forearm strain):ÌýAn update on Middleton's season-ending surgery is available here. He came out of surgery Tuesday, according to manager Oli Marmol.ÌýUpdated June 11
Riley O'Brien (flexor tendon):ÌýReliever will officially began his rehab assignment Saturday with Class AA Springfield. He'll be assigned a single inning. That schedule sets up for him to pitch again Tuesday. Originally on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 29, O'Brien was moved to the 60-day list on May 10, about two weeks after beginning a throwing progression.ÌýUpdated June 13
Nick Robertson (elbow inflammation):ÌýRobertson will travel to Springfield, Mo., to throw a live batting practice session for hitters there on Friday. If he recovers from that well, he could begin a rehab assignment imminently, even as early as Tuesday, if not before. He experienced a “little tightness†in his elbow during a throwing session in late May.ÌýUpdated June 13